Which of the following statements best describes a primary mechanism by which the energy released in ATP hydrolysis is used directly to drive endergonic chemical reactions in a cell?
A) Free energy is released as heat, which speeds up the rate of endergonic reactions.
B) The released phosphate is used to form phosphorylated intermediates that are more reactive than the original unphosphorylated substrate.
C) Binding of ATP to an enzyme active site converts an endergonic reaction to an exergonic reaction.
D) The phosphate is combined with ADP to regenerate ATP.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy from ATP hydrolysis is often used to form phosphorylated intermediates. These intermediates are more reactive, which effectively lowers the activation energy for the subsequent reactions, thereby coupling the exergonic process of ATP hydrolysis to drive endergonic reactions.

Which of the Following Statements Best Describes a Primary Mechanism