What do the letters ATP stand for?

What do the letters ATP stand for?

• A. Adenosine diphosphate
• B. Adenosine monophosphate
• C. Adenosine triphosphate
• D. Adenosine triphosphate synthase

Answer: (C)

ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate, the molecule that stores and transfers energy in cells. Adenosine is built from adenine attached to a ribose sugar, and triphosphate means there are three phosphate groups in a row. Those phosphate bonds hold a lot of energy, and releasing energy by removing a phosphate powers many cellular processes, including stages of photosynthesis that drive sugar synthesis. This name reflects the actual structure: adenosine plus three phosphates. The other options describe related molecules or an enzyme, not the molecule’s name: two phosphates correspond to ADP, one phosphate to AMP, and ATP synthase is the enzyme that helps make ATP rather than the name of the molecule itself.

ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate, the molecule that stores and transfers energy in cells. Adenosine is built from adenine attached to a ribose sugar, and triphosphate means there are three phosphate groups in a row. Those phosphate bonds hold a lot of energy, and releasing energy by removing a phosphate powers many cellular processes, including stages of photosynthesis that drive sugar synthesis. This name reflects the actual structure: adenosine plus three phosphates. The other options describe related molecules or an enzyme, not the molecule’s name: two phosphates correspond to ADP, one phosphate to AMP, and ATP synthase is the enzyme that helps make ATP rather than the name of the molecule itself.