Every explanation I’ve seen for this doesn’t really explain how it works, just that hydrolyzing ATP releases the energy it has.
But how does that actually power the reactions in our cells? What type of energy is released and how does it work to move and make other molecules?
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If you’ve ever played with magnets you should know that you can put them together the right way and they will stick (opposite polarities facing), or the wrong way and you will need to force them together otherwise they will snap away (same polarities facing).
ATP is like a pair of magnets forced to stay together with same polarities facing. When hydrolysis happens it’s like the force is released and the ATP molecule snaps! The snapping motion bumps nearby proteins, causing them to change shape, which dominoes into other molecules changing shape.
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