Exam 2 Chapter 6 Flashcards
What is thermodynamics?
The study of energy and its transformations
Types of systems
Open, isolated, and closed
All living organisms are ___ systems
Open
What is an isolated system?
Does not exchange matter or energy with surroundings
What is a closed system?
Exchanges energy with surroundings but not matter
What is an open system?
Exchanges matter and energy with surroundings
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
Energy can be transformed from one form to another but cannot be created or destroyed, so total amount of energy in system and surroundings is constant
Second law of thermodynamics
Total disorder/entropy of a system always increases
Kinetic and potential energy
Kinetic energy= energy of motion, potential energy= stored energy depending upon relative position of various parts of a system
What is a spontaneous reaction?
A chemical or physical reaction that will occur without energy input
What makes a reaction spontaneous?
Reactions tend to be spontaneous if the products have less potential energy than the reactants (potential energy is enthalpy)
What are exothermic and endothermic reactions?
Reactions releasing energy are exothermic, reactions absorbing energy are endothermic
What makes a reaction spontaneous in terms of entropy?
Reactions tend to be spontaneous if products are less ordered than the reactants
What is free energy?
The portion of a system’s energy available to do work (G)
The change can be calculated by G=H-TS where H is change in enthalpy and s is change in entropy
For a reaction to be spontaneous, G must be _____
<0
Will reactants always convert completely to products?
No, even in presence of -G. The reactions run in direction of completion until equilibrium is reached. At equilibrium, G=0
T or F: The more negative the G, the further towards completion the reaction will move before equilibrium is established
T
Can living systems reach G=0?
Not truly, because systems are open, products do not accumulate, and supply of reactants is constant, meaning G of life is always negative. G=0 only after death
Can reactions be reversible?
Yes, if delta g is near 0 and amount of products/reactants is changed
Distinguish between endergonic and exergonic reactions
Exergonic- releases energy, g is negative (spontaneous)
Endergonic- reactants must gain energy, so G is positive (nonspontaneous)
What is a metabolic pathway?
A series of reactions in which the products of one reaction are used as the reactants for next reaction
Catabolic pathway or reaction
Energy is released by breaking down complex molecules into simpler ones
Anabolic pathway
Energy is used to build complicated molecules from simpler ones
What is ATP?
Energy currency of cell, energy stored in triphosphate group and breakdown of ATP via hydrolysis drives endergonic reactions.
What is the G of atp becoming ADP and P?
-7.3 so spontaneous
What is energy coupling?
When ATP is hydrolyzed, the terminal phosphate group is transferred to a reactant molecule involved in an endergonic reaction (phosphorylation; the modified molecule is the one being phosphorylated)
What does energy coupling require?
An enzyme with a specific site that binds ATP and react and molecule to bring both in close association
Give an example of energy coupling
A. Without atp, formation of glutamine from glutamic acid and ammonia is not spontaneous (G=3.4)
B. ATP is hydrolyzed, G=-7.3
C. Coupled with ATP hydrolysis, glutamine synthesis is spontaneous since net G is -7.3+3.4 or -3.9 kcal/mol
Glutamyl phosphate and ammonia
Why are redox reactions important?
Involved in energy flow through biological systems since electrons carry energy with them
What is oxidation?
Loss of an electron
What is reduction?
Gain of an electron
What is activation energy?
Energy needed to start a reaction, even a spontaneous one. It makes bonds unstable and ready to be broken
What are enzymes
Catalysts, meaning they lower the activation energy and thus accelerate the reaction
How is the direction of a chemical reaction determined?
By the difference in free energy between products and reactants