A Diagram Showcasing ATP/ADP

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Regular physical exercise is a vital component to wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle. It can improve a person’s health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. During exercise, muscles constantly relax and contract, requiring energy to do so. This energy comes from a chemical called Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP) that is made up of an adenine base, a pentose sugar and three phosphate groups linked together. The bond between the last two phosphate groups is a weak bond and can readily be broken. When this bond is broken, the ATP is converted into ADP (Adenosine Di-Phosphate) and phosphate and as a result free energy becomes available. The ATP/ADP cycle is shown below: Figure 1: A diagram showcasing the ATP/ADP cycle. This free energy is the energy that muscles cells use while exercising. …show more content…

This process uses glucose that is obtained from other organisms that is then broken down into carbon dioxide, water and energy. The chemical equation for aerobic respiration is as follows: C_6 H_12 O_6+6O_2→6CO_2+6H_2 O+Energy In times of prolonged or vigorous activity there may be insufficient oxygen available in the tissues. In these cases, energy is produced via anaerobic respiration. This process uses glucose obtained from other organisms that is then converted into lactic acid. Anaerobic respiration creates a lot less energy than aerobic respiration. 36 ATP molecules are created from one glucose molecule in aerobic respiration, while only 2 ATP molecules are created from one glucose molecule in anaerobic respiration. This is due to the fact that in anaerobic respiration, glucose is only partially broken down. The chemical equation for anaerobic respiration is as follows: C_6 H_12 O_6→2C_3 H_6

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