Final answer:
ATP is the molecule containing the most energy-storing chemical bonds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chemical potential energy is due to chemical bonds that hold the atoms together in a molecule or compound through electrical forces between negative charge electrons and positive charge nuclei. Bond-forming always releases energy, and bond-breaking absorbs the same energy. Each bond has different bond energy. In chemical reactions, some bonds break, and some bonds form.
Molecules with three or more atoms have two or more bonds. The sum of all bond energies in such a molecule is equal to the standard enthalpy change for the endothermic reaction that breaks all the bonds in the molecule. For example, the sum of the four C-H bond energies in CH4, 1660 kJ, is equal to the standard enthalpy change of the reaction:
- ATP
- ADP
- glucose
- sucrose
In the given options, the molecule likely to have the most potential energy is ATP. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is a molecule that stores energy in its chemical bonds and is used by cells as a source of energy for various biological processes.