Energy Systems An Introduction
Key Points
1. We have 3 Energy Systems.
2. Their job is to produce and supply our muscles with a chemical called ATP.
3. ATP stands for Adenosine Triphosphate and consists of an adenosine
molecule and 3 phosphate molecules.
4. ATP is our only source of energy for muscular contraction.
5. Energy for movement or muscular contraction is released when a phosphate
splits off ATP, leaving us with Adenosine and 2 phosphate molecules (or
ADP) and an inorganic or floating phosphate.
6. So the role of the 3 Energy Systems is to reform the ADP back to ATP.
7. The process of joining a phosphate molecule back on to ADP to resynthesise
ATP requires energy and our 3 energy systems do this in different ways.
The 3 Energy Systems are :
Energy System
Other Names
Source of energy to
Name
reform ATP
ATP-PC
Lactic Acid System
ATP-CP
Phosphate System
Alactacid System
Anaerobic Glycolysis
Duration of
continuous
supply of ATP
Rate of
supply of
ATP
Creatine Phosphate
(Chemical Fuel)
Very Short
Very
Rapid
Glycogen
Short
Rapid
Aerobic
or
Anaerobic
Processes
Anaerobic
(Without
Oxygen)
Anaerobic
(Without
Oxygen)
Aerobic System
Oxygen System
Glycogen
Fats
Protein (minimal)
Long
Slow
If you understand the information above – now you can work out the following…
How does each energy system reform ATP? (See textbook diagrams).
What are the characteristics and limitations of each energy system?
What does Energy System Interplay mean?
Aerobic
(With
Oxygen)