Energy metabolism — Which mineral is centrally involved in enzyme-controlled, energy-yielding reactions of metabolism (for example, high-energy phosphate transfer and phosphorylation)?

Introduction / Context:
Energy metabolism depends on the transfer of phosphate groups and the storage of energy in high-energy phosphate bonds. Phosphorus, present in ATP, ADP, AMP, creatine phosphate, and phosphorylated intermediates, is fundamental to these enzyme-controlled energy-yielding reactions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• ATP/ADP cycling underlies cellular energy economy.
• Phosphorylation/dephosphorylation regulate key enzymes and pathways.
• Metabolic intermediates (e.g., glucose-6-phosphate) contain phosphate groups derived from cellular phosphorus pools.

Concept / Approach:
Identify the mineral whose chemical form directly constitutes the energy currency and regulatory modifications. While magnesium is a ubiquitous cofactor stabilizing ATP, the question emphasizes the phosphate-based chemistry driving energy yield, which directly implicates phosphorus.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Biochemical pathways universally depict phosphate transfers as the core of energy handling, confirming phosphorus’s centrality.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing magnesium’s role in stabilizing ATP with phosphorus’s role as the energy-bearing phosphate group.

Final Answer:
Phosphorus.