ADP (adenosine diphosphate) has less potential energy than ATP (adenosine triphosphate) primarily because:
- b) Because ADP has only two phosphate groups.
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) contains three phosphate groups, while adenosine diphosphate (ADP) has only two. The high-energy bonds between the phosphate groups in ATP are what store the potential energy. When ATP is converted to ADP through the removal of one phosphate group, energy is released for cellular processes. This is why ADP has less potential energy than ATP.