Expert: Walter Hintz - 5/22/2007

Question
Can you please help me figure out how ATP relates to photosynthesis and cell respiration?  Thank you so much for the help.  

Answer
Hi Allison
 ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the site for energy storage and the energy source for metabolic activities.  ATP is a nucleotide made up of a Nitrogen compound, a 5 carbon sugar and three phosphates. When ATP loses a phosphate it becomes ADP (adenisine diphosphate)
During photosynthesis chlorophyll captures a photon of light and this energy is converted to chemical energy in a bond attaching a phosphate to ADP making it ATP
 During respiration energy is required and enzymes split a phosphate of off ATP.
 Is this beautiful or what?