My PC is dead

AAAAAIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!

My desktop has died. Thanks to the numerous diseases it contracted. Probably because it participated in lots of unprotected relations with other computers. Damn!

Always use protection. Be safe, not sorry.

AAAIIIEEEEE!

Now i'm using my office laptop. Cannot MSN.

acceptable statements..

Do read my previous post first before reading this one..

..

So, whats an acceptable way to phrase our observations in the ATP example?

you can say:
1) HYDROLYSIS of ATP releases energy (automatically hydration is assumed to be involved as part of the process)
2)Formation of ADP(aq) and phosphate(aq) from ATP releases energy
See? the above 2 statements are simple but harbours no misconceptions;

However misintepretation of statement (1) often leads pple to make statement (3):

(3) Breaking of the phosphoester link/ P-O bond releases energy.
This statement is wrong.; since breaking the bond requires energy. subsequent hydration of the phosphate and ADP is what releases energy.

So now you learn, while 2 statements may seem/sound the same, they essentially mean very different things, because a statement may contain implications, assumptions(as in statement 1) and context. These subtle things are what what people misread or miss out, because of their incomplete understanding.

Remember, in making statements, beware of implications, assumptions and most importantly, context.

Oversimplification breeds misconceptions

For all students who've done biology and chemistry at O lvls and Alvls, have you ever wondered about this: in biology you are taught that ATP is a high energy molecule, when its phosphoester link is hydrolysed ie ATP -> ADP + Pi (inorganic phosphate) energy is released.

Yet in chemistry you are taught that bond breaking (as happens during hydrolysis), REQUIRES energy? So which is correct? why the apparent contradiction?


This really stems from the oversimplification of the hydrolysis process taught in bio.
1) the so called inorganic phosphate is simply the phosphate PO4^3- ion or the hydrogen phosphate HPO4^2- ion. (they in equilibrium under cellular pH conditions)

2) ATP and ADP do not exist as neutral molecules either, their phosphate groups are deprotonated and so ATP and ADP are anionic.

Rewrite the eqn ATP^4-(aq) -> ADP^2-(aq) + HPO4^2-(aq)

The key difference is something as minor as the (aq)!
The P-O bond in the phosphoester link is actually quite weak so it requires little energy to hydrolyse (but energy is still required). However after the reaction, you've got TWO ions instead of just one. The phosphate ion is a small ion that forms ion dipole interactions readily with water; ie formation of HYDRATED HPO4^2- ion releases large amounts of energy.
Having two ions instead of one means more energy is release from hydration. and for those who take thermodynamics at higher levels they should also know that the entropy of the system increases.

So overall the reaction releases free energy.

Ther are many other misconceptions actually propogated in sec sch science eg ..octet rule as a driver of reactions in chem.. and in bio some people use the word oxalate for example to refer to oxalic acid, when in fact oxalate is the anion of the acid (after its deprotonated)...

I think simplification is good when it allows you to deal with issues without getting bogged down by too many details. But it should be done accurately and also set in a right context.
Oversimplification of anything, not just science but also in many current affairs issues, philosophy, religion, on the other hand, propogates misconceptions, clouds sound judgement, and mislead people.

Look at the masses of ignorant, misdirected people in this world....myself included