Enzymes Flashcards
What do we harness energy into?
ATP
What is the law of Thermodynamics?
where the behaviour of energy is governed by.
What is the 1st law of thermodynamics?
energy cannot be created or destroyed
What is the 2nd law of thermodynamics?
energy transfer or transformation is never 100% efficient.
Part of energy is lost
What is the ultimate goal of the universe?
to disorder (fall apart)
What does energy transfer do in the 2nd law of thermodynamics?
increases entropy(disorder) of the universe. That is why the universe is expanding due to the increase in disorder (entropy)
What is the 3rd law of thermodynamics?
the entropy of a perfect crystal (solid) at a temp of absolute zero degrees is zero.
Even though something is a solid object, its still made up of atoms held by bonds and those bonds are not static they are vibrating where they release potential energy in form of kinetic energy. Those vibrations stop when it reaches a temperature of absolute zero : which is -273.15 degrees Celsius.
How can you stop energy loss?
energy is always lost, only way to stop energy loss is to freeze everything.
What is entropy?
the universe tends towards disorder
What is an example of entropy occurring within our system which would cause to death?
e.g if we weren’t taking in food for additional energy, we would expel all that energy through by-product of metabolism as heat, we lose that through your systems and would die.
What is the relation between entropy and life?
Entropy and life have to be in a constant intricate balance with each other to survive.
Why does an organism need input of energy?
that means an organism to survive needs a constant input of energy otherwise you would succumb to entropy (disorder)
What does every organism/living cells do?
constantly producing heat as a by-product of metabolism- which means we are increasing entropy
How do we remain in balance when we lose energy as heat?
our ecosystem, have a constant input of energy from the sun, in the form of photons from light.
Constant balance, constant influx of energy in photons of light and constantly loosing as heat to environment which works into space.
Where else can we receive energy from?
Photosynthesising plants can harness these photons of energy and turn into molecules where we can extract energy from which works its way up into the system.
How do we not succumb to entropy?
constantly taking in food, metabolism breaks it down and harnesses the energy and traps in ATP that we can use
Why else do we lose heat from carbon dioxide and water?
in chemical bonds in carbon dioxide and water as we have to bond them together so its the potential energy we lose from our system.
What is free energy?
the energy in chemical reactions
How do chemical reactions occur?
spontaneously as its between only one molecule with another molecule- if they come together and collide and there is enough energy that energy can be transferred to a breaking of a bond or making a bond therefore have reactions occurring.
When does entropy favour a reaction?
to increase disorder within the universe (as it states in law of thermodynamics)-
How is a stable environment formed?
disorder will increase via if you have a little energy in a reaction but ultimately you get molecules which are formed (although the molecules that are formed have less energy they are still formed).
Why did spontaneous reactions became more efficient?
as the molecules formed helped reactions move forward.
What is the energy which allows a reaction to occur?
Activation energy
What is a.e?
free energy of activation which is the initial energy needed to start chemical reaction.
What else can trigger a reaction apart from activation energy?
thermal energy
What is the transition state?
where there is enough energy to make bonds
What do the products do when formed
and what is it known as?
release energy from system which is known as Gibbs free energy
What is the probability that the activation energy is reached spontaneously?
very low because your not directing any energy to make sure you have enough energy at a one time point to reach the transition state and have sufficient a.e.
How long would a chemical reactions take without anything?
chemical reactions let go on its own without proteins/enzymes or a.e would take hours
-this is how enzymes are evolved
What does an enzyme do in a chemical reaction?
enzymes co ordinate a chemical reaction which decreases a.e energy for the reaction to proceed.
What does the enzyme have no effect on?
Has no effect on the total energy released from that reaction.
What are enzymes
catalyse reaction
What does the enzyme-substrate complex do?
gives favourable conditions with less energy needed to put into the system to ultimately generate product and leave enzyme completely untouched.
How do enzymes speed up reaction rates?
by providing an alternative reaction pathway to lower activation energy
What are the enzymes made of?
proteins
What is the active site of an enzyme?
unique binding site making them specific catalysts for defined reactions.
What is an active site in a protein?
a cleft or a binding site in the 3D structure