Correct option is B
The Correct answer is
(b) ATP.
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is the primary source of energy in cells. ATP is often referred to as the "energy currency" of the cell because it stores and transports chemical energy within cells for metabolism. When ATP is hydrolyzed (broken down into ADP and a phosphate group), energy is released, which is then used to drive various cellular processes, such as muscle contraction, active transport, and biochemical reactions.
Information Booster: • ATP stores energy in the high-energy phosphate bonds and releases it when one of these bonds is broken. • The energy from ATP hydrolysis powers processes like muscle movement, protein synthesis, and active transport. • ATP is continuously regenerated from ADP during cellular respiration, primarily in the mitochondria. • ATP is used in almost all forms of life, making it a universal energy carrier. • The production of ATP mainly occurs through processes like glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) is a lower-energy molecule formed when ATP loses a phosphate group.
AMP (Adenosine Monophosphate) is a component of RNA and has even less energy than ADP.
NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is an important coenzyme in redox reactions, involved in energy production, but it does not directly store energy like ATP.