how did the treatments that bubble populations 1 2 3 were subjected to affect the shape of their curves

You e got the answer to the question right

Mitochondria produce atp, a high energy compound. atp is used for all sorts of enzyme-mediated reactions, such as making proteins/nucleotides/etc, certain compounds cross the cell membrane, muscles move, etc.  without this source of energy, a cell will die. it will not be able to repair itself, defend against pathogens, etc.

In fact it is not just nuclear fusion and fission that  can  transform  matter  (or mass)into energy. any time  energy  is produced, some small amount of  matter  or mass isconverted into energy.