2. Learning Objectives
Describe the role of ATP in cellular activities.
Explain where plants get the energy they need
to produce food.
3. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is one of the most important
compounds that cells use to store and release energy.
adenine ribose 3 phosphate groups
4. Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP)
Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) has two phosphate groups
instead of three.
adenine ribose 2 phosphate groups
5. Storing Energy
When a cell has energy available, it can store small
amounts of it by adding phosphate groups to ADP
molecules, producing ATP.
6. Making ATP
When a phosphate group is added to an ADP molecule,
ATP is produced.
7. Releasing Energy
ATP can easily release and store energy by breaking and
reforming the bonds between its phosphate groups.
8. ATP Production
Cells must produce ATP. In photosynthesis, plants convert
the energy of sunlight into chemical energy stored in the
bonds of carbohydrates.
9. Heterotrophs and Autotrophs
Organisms that make their own food are autotrophs.
Organisms that obtain food by consuming other living things
are heterotrophs.
Notes de l'éditeur
Read the lesson title aloud to students.
Click to show each of learning objective.
To prepare for this lesson, show students a living plant.
Ask: What do you think would happen if the plant were watered but kept away from light for several weeks?
Answer: The plant would probably turn yellow and not grow much.
Ask: How do plants use light to survive and grow?
Answer: They use the energy from sunlight to perform photosynthesis and to produce food.
Explain to students that photosynthesis is a plant process that uses the energy of sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into high-energy sugars and oxygen.
Tell students that in this chapter they will learn how plant cells capture and use the energy in sunlight.
Tell students that ATP is the basic energy source used by all types of cells.
Work with students to break down the chemical components of adenosine triphosphate.
Ask for volunteers to come forward and write in any parts of the compound that they know.
They should be able to easily identify the three phosphate groups but may need assistance with the other components.
Click to reveal each part of ATP.
Ask: How would you change ATP into ADP (adenosine diphosphate)?
Answer: Take away the third phosphate group and the bond that holds it to the molecule.
Ask: Where is energy stored in the molecule of ATP?
Answer: In the chemical bonds that hold the phosphate bonds together.
Makes sure students understand that chemical bonds are represented in the figure by the thin black lines.
Explain to students that the difference between ADP and ATP is the key to the way in which living things store energy.
Based on what they learned about the components of ATP, ask for volunteers to come forward and write the names of the parts of ADP.
Once students have completed their work, click to reveal each part of ADP and confirm what they have written.
Make the following analogy: ADP is like a rechargeable battery that powers the machinery of the cell.
Ask: How would you describe the light being produced by the flashlight shown?
Answer: The light looks dim. It is not very bright.
Continue the analogy: ADP is like a partially charged battery that can be fully charged by the addition of a phosphate group.
Click to show the addition of a phosphate group to ADP.
Explain that the fact that ATP can easily release and store energy by breaking and reforming bonds between phosphate groups makes it exceptionally useful as a basic energy source for all cells.
Ask: How would you describe the light being produced by the flashlight shown?
Answer: The light looks very bright.
If possible, bring in a flashlight or other battery-powered device, a rechargeable battery, and a charger. Turn on the device and tell students it is operating like a cell carrying out cellular activities.
Ask: What activity in the cell is like this device using energy from the battery?
Answer: It is like the cell using energy from ATP as it releases a phosphate group.
Ask: What activity in the cell is like the charger recharging the battery?
Answer: It is like the process that adds a phosphate group to ADP, which can “recharge” ATP.
Explain that cells are not “born” with a supply of ATP—they must somehow produce it.
Ask: Where do living things get the energy they use to produce ATP?
Answer: It comes from the chemical compounds that we call food.
Explain to students that, ultimately, nearly all life on Earth depends on the ability of autotrophs to capture and convert the energy from sunlight to synthesize molecules of high-energy carbohydrates—sugars and starches—that can be used as food.
Ask: What is the name of the process that autotrophs use to synthesize molecules of high-energy carbohydrates by trapping light energy?
Answer: Photosynthesis.
Distribute the worksheet for this lesson to students.
Tell them that they should create a table that compares autotrophs and heterotrophs.
Tell them to think about how they obtain energy and to include a few examples of each.
Ask: What is the autotroph in the image shown? Name some other autotrophs.
Answer: In the image, grass is the autotroph. Other autotrophs are trees, shrubs, and other plants.
Ask: What are the heterotrophs in the image shown?
Answer: The antelope, which ate the grass, and the cheetah, which will eat the antelope.
Give students time to work in small groups to complete their worksheets.
If necessary, redisplay slide 9 to help students remember the differences between autotrophs and heterotrophs.
Then, create a master compare and contrast table on the whiteboard or on chart paper, using answers supplied by the students.
Worksheet Answers:
Students should have one column labeled “Autotrophs” and the other labeled “Heterotrophs.”
Under the heading of “Autotrophs” should be written “Organisms that make their own food.” The remainder of this column should include: plants, algae, and some bacteria. Students may also list specific examples of these.
Under the heading of “Heterotrophs” should be written “Organisms that obtain food by consuming other living things.” The remainder of this column should include: plant-eating animals, animals that eat other animals, and organisms that absorb nutrients from decomposing organisms, for example fungi (molds and mushrooms). Students may also list specific examples of these.