Ch 6 pt 2 Flashcards
Chemical energy
potential energy available for release in a chemical reaction
Thermodynamics
the study of energy transformations
The First Law of Thermodynamics
Energy cannot be created nor destroyed – only converted from one form to another. Also Called the principle of conservation of energy.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics
When you convert energy from one form to another – less energy is available
Free energy
energy that can do work when temperature and pressure are uniform, as in a living cell
Free energy is a measure of
a system’s instability, its tendency to change to a more stable state
Equilibrium
a state of maximum stability
Exergonic reaction
proceeds with a net release of free energy and is spontaneous
Endergonic reaction
absorbs free energy from its surroundings and is non-spontaneous
