Final answer:
Metabolic steps involving ATP typically lead to the formation of a high-energy intermediate and the release of a phosphate group during the transition of ATP to ADP or AMP.
Step-by-step explanation:
Metabolic steps involving ATP require the formation of a high-energy but unstable intermediate, and the displacement of a phosphate group. In processes like glycolysis, the energy from ATP hydrolysis is used to phosphorylate glucose, thereby leading to a conformational change that is necessary for the ongoing metabolic pathway. The energy for this process comes from breaking the high-energy phosphate bonds within ATP, resulting in the molecule transitioning into either ADP (adenosine diphosphate) or AMP (adenosine monophosphate).