Final answer:
The hydrolysis of ATP is energetically favourable and releases energy, primarily acting as the cell's energy currency to power metabolic reactions, including both endergonic and exergonic processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hydrolysis of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is energetically favoured: it releases energy that can be used to drive other reactions. ATP breakdown is crucial for both endergonic and exergonic reactions within cells. While exergonic reactions release energy and require a small amount of activation energy, endergonic reactions need more energy input because their products have more free energy than the reactants.
ATP acts as the primary energy currency for the cell, similar to how money is used to exchange for goods and services. The energy from ATP hydrolysis is often harnessed to initiate or drive cellular reactions that would not occur spontaneously, effectively acting as a power source for various metabolic processes.
ATP dissociates, and the energy released by breaking of a phosphate bond within ATP is used for the phosphorylation of another molecule, often facilitating the transfer of energy to power coupling reactions and sustaining the metabolism of cellular products.