Question

Question:Does the magnitude of the free energy change for ATP hydrolysis increase or decrease as the pH increases from 5 to 6?

Short answer

Answer

The amount of change in free energy grows.

Step-by-step solution

Step-by-step-solutionStep 1: Definition of ATP hydrolysis

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis is a catabolic reaction process through which chemical energy that has been stored in the high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds in ATP is released after these bonds have been broken, for example in muscles, by generating work in the form of mechanical energy.

Step 2:Explanation whether the magnitude of free energy change increases or decreases

The size of the free energy shift increases with the propensity of ATP for hydrolysis. At $pH5$, there are more bonded hydrogen atoms, which enhances their charge-induced repulsion.

As repulsion grows, hydrolysis becomes more advantageous and the amount of free energy change increases, becoming more negative.

Therefore, the magnitude of free energy change increases.