MolDraw › 3D molecule models › ATP 3D model
ATP molecule model (C10H16N5O13P3)
ATP, the energy currency of the cell, has three parts: the base adenine (planar purine), the sugar ribose (five-membered ring) and a chain of three phosphate groups linked by phosphoanhydride bonds.
Drag to rotate · pinch or scroll to zoom. 3D coordinates: PubChem conformer (CID 5957).
ATP at a glance
| Formula | C10H16N5O13P3 |
|---|---|
| Molar mass | 507.18 g/mol |
| IUPAC name | [[(2R,3S,4R,5R)-5-(6-aminopurin-9-yl)-3,4-dihydroxyoxolan-2-yl]methoxy-hydroxyphosphoryl] phosphono hydrogen phosphate |
| Atoms / bonds | 47 / 49 |
| H-bond donors / acceptors | 7 / 17 |
| XLogP3 | -5.7 |
| SMILES | C1=NC(=C2C(=N1)N(C=N2)[C@H]3[C@@H]([C@@H]([C@H](O3)COP(=O)(O)OP(=O)(O)OP(=O)(O)O)O)O)N |
| PubChem CID | 5957 |
What the 3D model of ATP shows
The model contains 47 atoms (31 heavy atoms and 16 hydrogens) joined by 49 bonds; in ball-and-stick mode every stick is one bond, and double or aromatic bonds are drawn as multiple sticks. Switch to space-filling to see the molecule as its electron cloud, scaled to van der Waals radii: this is the shape other molecules actually "feel". It can donate 7 and accept 17 hydrogen bonds, and its PubChem XLogP3 of -5.7 means it is very water-loving (hydrophilic). Its topological polar surface area is 279 Ų.
Shape and bond angles
| Atom(s) | Geometry / hybridisation | Angles & lengths |
|---|---|---|
| adenine | Planar aromatic, sp² | ≈ 120° |
| ribose | Five-membered envelope ring, sp³ | ≈ 105° |
| P (×3) | Tetrahedral phosphate groups | O–P–O ≈ 109.5° |
Is ATP polar?
Very polar and highly charged: about −4 at pH 7, usually bound to Mg²⁺ in cells.
Elemental composition of C10H16N5O13P3
| Element | Atoms | Mass (g/mol) | Mass % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 10 | 120.110 | 23.68% |
| Hydrogen (H) | 16 | 16.128 | 3.18% |
| Nitrogen (N) | 5 | 70.035 | 13.81% |
| Oxygen (O) | 13 | 207.987 | 41.01% |
| Phosphorus (P) | 3 | 92.922 | 18.32% |
Calculated from IUPAC standard atomic weights. Check any formula with the molar mass calculator.
Uses of ATP
- Energy carrier: hydrolysis to ADP releases about −30.5 kJ/mol (standard conditions)
- Substrate for kinases (phosphorylation) and RNA synthesis
- Signalling molecule (e.g. converted to cyclic AMP)
Interesting facts
- A human turns over roughly their own body weight in ATP every day.
- ATP synthase makes ATP by rotary catalysis driven by a proton gradient.
- In cells ATP exists mostly as a Mg²⁺–ATP complex.
Drawing structures for your notes? MolDraw is a free online chemical structure editor for molecules, reactions and lab diagrams.
Open MolDraw editorFrequently asked questions
What are the three parts of ATP?
Adenine (a nitrogen base), ribose (a sugar) and three phosphate groups.
Where is the energy in ATP?
Hydrolysing the terminal phosphoanhydride bond to give ADP + Pᵢ is strongly exergonic, because the products are better stabilised by resonance and hydration and have less charge repulsion.
What is the chemical formula and molar mass of ATP?
ATP is C10H16N5O13P3 with a molar mass of 507.18 g/mol (PubChem CID 5957). It contains 47 atoms: 10 carbon, 16 hydrogen, 5 nitrogen, 13 oxygen, 3 phosphorus.
What is the IUPAC name of ATP?
The PubChem-computed IUPAC name is [[(2R,3S,4R,5R)-5-(6-aminopurin-9-yl)-3,4-dihydroxyoxolan-2-yl]methoxy-hydroxyphosphoryl] phosphono hydrogen phosphate.
How do I make a model of ATP?
With 47 atoms, ATP is a big kit build. Use the interactive model above as your guide, build the ring or core framework first, then add the side groups and finally the hydrogens.