Energy released during respiration is stored in the cell as ____.
ATP
NADP
ADP
AMP
ATP
Adenosine triphosphate is called the energy currency of the cell. ATP consists of three main structures: the nitrogenous base, adenine; the sugar, ribose; and a chain of three phosphate groups bound to ribose. The phosphate tail of ATP is the actual power source which the cell uses. Available energy is contained in the bonds between the phosphates and is released when they are broken.