Chapter 8 Flashcards
(44 cards)
What is metabolism? (2)
Totality of an organism’s chemical reaction
Emergent property of life
What is a metabolic pathway? (3)
Begins with a specific molecule
altered in a series of defined steps, with each step catalyzed by an enzyme
results in a certain product
What is a catabolic pathway, and an example? (
Processes that breakdown molecules to release energy
ex- Cellular respiration
What is an anabolic pathway, and an example?
consumes energy to build complicated molecules
ex- photosynthesis
What is bioenergetics?
study of how energy flows through living organisms
What is energy?
Capacity to cause change.
What is kinetic energy?
Relative motion of objects
What is thermal energy?
Kinetic energy associated with the random movement of atoms or molecules
What is heat?
transfer of thermal heat
What is potential energy?
energy matter possesses because of its location or structure
What is chemical energy?
potential energy available for release in a chemical reaction
What is thermodynamics?
Study of energy transformations that occur in a collection of matter
What is an isolated system?
a system unable to exchange either energy or matter with its surroundings
What is an open system and an example?
a system able to exchange energy and matter with its surroundings
ex- organisms
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
energy can be transferred or transformed, but it cannot be created or destroyed
What is the second law of thermodynamics?
every energy transfer or transformation increases the entropy of the universe
What is entropy?
Measure of disorder
What is a spontaneous process (2)
if a given process leads to an increase in entropy, the process proceeds without requiring an input of energy
energetically favorable
What is free energy?
portion of a system’s energy that can perform work when temp and pressure are uniform throughout the system
What does the sign of free energy mean?
Negative free energy indicates a spontaneous reaction
How do free energy and a spontaneous reaction correlate?
Every spontaneous reaction decreases the system’s free energy
What does an increase in free energy mean? (2)
less stable
Greater work capacity
How does equilibrium affect free energy?
A process is spontaneous and can perform work only when it is moving toward equilibrium
What is an exergonic reaction and an example? (3)
Releases energy
spontaneous
ex- loss of energy due to breaking down of molecules