1. In the experiment known as \"the Gauss Gun\", a metal sphere (0) is allowed t
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Question
1. In the experiment known as "the Gauss Gun", a metal sphere (0) is allowed to roll very slowly towards three other metal spheres attracted to a strong cylindrical magnet as shown in the figure at the right. Watch it at the YouTube video.
The reaction is described as arising from breaking a phosphate bond in ATP that is often described as a high energy bond. The reaction also forms an OH-P bond to create Pi. Just consider this reaction in isolation.
Which of the following statements would you therefore expect are true about the reaction?
It takes a lot of energy to break the O-P bond in ATP.
It only takes a little energy to break the O-P bond in ATP.
The breaking of the O-P bond releases energy that is stored in the bond.
The OH-P bond that is formed in the reaction is a weak bond.
The OH-P bond that is formed in the reaction is a strong bond.
The formation of the OH-P bond is the part of the reaction responsible for releasing energy.
3. To what extent do you think that the macroscopic reaction in 1 is a useful model of how to think about the nanoscopic molecular reaction in 2?
1. In the experiment known as "the Gauss Gun", a metal sphere (0) is allowed to roll very slowly towards three other metal spheres attracted to a strong cylindrical magnet as shown in the figure at the right. Watch it at the YouTube video.
3 2X1 steel spheres strong magneExplanation / Answer
1. You must understand that in this example, the ball 3 is bound very weakly to M as compared to the ball 0, and that this difference in the binding energy appears as kinetic energy of ball 3.
Therefore, the following statements are correct:
*Please note that the M-3 bond is very weak as compared to M-0, yet it will release some energy, though very little, upon breaking.
2. In this reaction, you must understand that the terminal phosphate prefers to exist as Pi (i.e. OH-P) rather than as a part of ATP (i.e. O-P); the O-P bond is very weak as compared to the OH-P, and the difference in these two bond energies appears as the free energy of the reaction (i.e. hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and Pi).
It follows that he following statements must be true:
**Again, the breaking of the bond, however weak it may be, will release some energy; also note that although described as a 'high energy' bond, the binding energy is actually very low.
3. The macroscopic reaction in 1 is a very close representation of the nanoscopic molecular reaction in 2. In both cases, the formation of a strong bond causes the breaking of a weak bond, and the difference in the energies of the two bonds appears as free energy.
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