Which one of the following is the 'energy currency' for cellular processes?

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is universally recognized as the 'energy currency' for cellular processes [1]. It is a small molecule that stores potential energy within its high-energy phosphate bonds, specifically the phosphoanhydride bonds linking the phosphate groups [2]. When the terminal phosphate linkage is broken through hydrolysis, approximately 30.5 to 30.6 kJ/mol of energy is released, which the cell harnesses to drive endothermic reactions such as muscle contraction, protein synthesis, and nerve impulse conduction [1]. While glucose serves as the primary fuel source, it must be broken down during cellular respiration to produce ATP [2]. Pyruvic acid is an intermediate product of glucose metabolism (glycolysis), and ADP is the lower-energy precursor that is recycled back into ATP [2]. Thus, ATP acts as the immediate, readily releasable energy source for biological work [2].

Sources

1. [1] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Life Processes > ATP > p. 88
2. [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553175/