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Visual Representations of Energy and Chemical Bonding in Biology and Chemistry Textbooks: A Case Study of ATP Hydrolysis

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Title: Visual Representations of Energy and Chemical Bonding in Biology and Chemistry Textbooks: A Case Study of ATP Hydrolysis
Language: English
Authors: Mingyu Yang (ORCID 0000-0003-2558-7074), Bryan C. Armpriest, L. Kate Wright (ORCID 0000-0001-7379-0224), Dina L. Newman (ORCID 0000-0002-2983-1102)
Source: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. 2025 53(3):274-285.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Science, Introductory Courses, Textbooks, Biology, Chemistry, Scientific Concepts, Energy, Visual Aids, Textbook Content, Schemata (Cognition)
DOI: 10.1002/bmb.21894
ISSN: 1470-8175
1539-3429
Abstract: Energy is a crosscutting concept in science, but college students often perceive a mismatch between how their biology and chemistry courses discuss the topic. The challenge of reconciling these disciplinary differences can promote faulty reasoning--for example, biology students often develop the incorrect idea that breaking bonds is exothermic and releases energy. We hypothesize that one source of this perceived mismatch is that biology and chemistry textbooks use different visual representations of bond breaking and formation. We analyzed figures of ATP hydrolysis from 12 college-level introductory biology textbooks and coded each figure for its representation of energy, bond formation, and bond breaking. For comparison, we analyzed figures from six college-level introductory chemistry textbooks. We found that the majority (70%) of biology textbook figures presented ATP hydrolysis in the form "one reactant [right arrow] multiple products" and "more bonds in reactants [right arrow] fewer bonds in products". In contrast, chemistry textbook figures of the form "one reactant [right arrow] multiple products" and "more bonds [right arrow] fewer bonds" were predominantly endothermic reactions, which directly contradicts the exothermic nature of ATP hydrolysis. We hypothesize that these visual inconsistencies may be a contributing factor to student struggles in constructing a coherent mental model of energy and bonding.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1471515
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mingyu+Yang%22">Mingyu Yang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2558-7074">0000-0003-2558-7074</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bryan+C%2E+Armpriest%22">Bryan C. Armpriest</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22L%2E+Kate+Wright%22">L. Kate Wright</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7379-0224">0000-0001-7379-0224</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dina+L%2E+Newman%22">Dina L. Newman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2983-1102">0000-0002-2983-1102</externalLink>)
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Energy is a crosscutting concept in science, but college students often perceive a mismatch between how their biology and chemistry courses discuss the topic. The challenge of reconciling these disciplinary differences can promote faulty reasoning--for example, biology students often develop the incorrect idea that breaking bonds is exothermic and releases energy. We hypothesize that one source of this perceived mismatch is that biology and chemistry textbooks use different visual representations of bond breaking and formation. We analyzed figures of ATP hydrolysis from 12 college-level introductory biology textbooks and coded each figure for its representation of energy, bond formation, and bond breaking. For comparison, we analyzed figures from six college-level introductory chemistry textbooks. We found that the majority (70%) of biology textbook figures presented ATP hydrolysis in the form "one reactant [right arrow] multiple products" and "more bonds in reactants [right arrow] fewer bonds in products". In contrast, chemistry textbook figures of the form "one reactant [right arrow] multiple products" and "more bonds [right arrow] fewer bonds" were predominantly endothermic reactions, which directly contradicts the exothermic nature of ATP hydrolysis. We hypothesize that these visual inconsistencies may be a contributing factor to student struggles in constructing a coherent mental model of energy and bonding.
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