Intro to Metabolism terms Flashcards
metabolism
the totality of an organism’s chemical reactions, consisting of catabolic and anabolic pathways, which manage the material and energy resources of an organism.
emergent property
reductionism
metabolic pathway
a series of chemical reactions that either builds a complex molecule (anabolic pathway) or breaks down a complex molecule to simpler molecules (catabolic pathway).
chain pathway
a linear metabolic pathway that beings and ends with different molecules.
cycle pathway
a circular metabolic pathway that eventually reverts back?
catabolic pathway
a metabolic pathway that releases energy by breaking down a complex molecule into a simpler one.
anabolic pathway
a metabolic pathway that consumes energy to synthesize a complex molecule from simpler molecules.
energy (kinetic, potential,
thermal, chemical)
the capacity to cause change or to do work which includes potential: energy that matter possesses as a result of its location, chemical: a form of potential energy available for reactants to release in a chemical reaction, kinetic: energy in motion, thermal: the random motion of atom & molecules
thermodynamics
the study of energy transformation in a collection of matter
isolated (closed) and open systems
a system’s ability to exchange energy and matter with its surrounding, if isolated, the system cannot exchange, if open, system will such as living organisms.
first law of thermodynamics
energy is neither created nor destroyed; but can be transferred or transformed into potential, kinetic etc.
second law of thermodynamics
the natural world has a tendency to increase in disorder or entropy after energy transfers or transformations occur
entropy
energy spreading out which decreases the ability to perform work
free energy
energy available to do work in a cell which can predict whether the reaction is exergonic or endergonic.
spontaneous processes
a process that occurs without an overall input of energy that may or may not occur instantaneously; also increases entropy.
exergonic reactions
a spontaneous chemical reaction in which there is a net release of free energy.
endergonic reactions
a nonspontaneous chemical reaction in which free energy is absorbed from the surroundings.
energy coupling
when the energy released from an exergonic reaction such as the hydrolysis of ATP can be then used in endergonic reaction since these require energy
electron transport chain
equilibrium
occurs when an isolated system reaches equal reverse and forward rates.
phosphorylated intermediate
a molecule (often a reactant) with a phosphate group covalently bound to it, making it more reactive (less stable) than the unphosphorylated molecule.
enzyme
proteins that work as a catalyst in order to carry out metabolic pathways.
catalyst
a chemical agent that selectively increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed by the reaction such as enzymes.
activation energy
the amount of energy that reactants must absorb before a chemical reaction will start; also called free energy of activation.
