Bioenergetics Flashcards
What is enthalpy?
Heat energy exchange
What is entropy?
A measure of the disorder or ‘randomness’ of a system
What is required for a reaction to occur?
A decrease in Gibb’s free energy
Give an example of an irreversible biochemical reaction
Macromolecule synthesis
Why must some biochemical reactions be irreversible?
If this weren’t the case, the pathway as a whole could be subject to mass action meaning vital molecules such as DNA could be degraded
What is anabolism?
Involves synthetic, energy-requiring reactions
What is catabolism?
Involves breaking down reactions
What are covalent bonds?
Involve the sharing of electrons by atoms, are strong
Name some weak bonds
Noncovalent, hydrogen, Van der Vaals
What pH are living cells maintained at?
Between 7.2 and 7.4
What are biological buffers?
Mainly weak acids
