Introduction to Metabolism Flashcards
Metabolism
Totality of an organisms chemical reactions.
Metabolism is an emergent property of life arising from interactions between molecules within cell.
Metabolic Pathways
Begin with a specific molecule (substrate/reactant) and end with a product.
Each step is catalyzed by a specific enzyme.
Types of metabolic pathways.
Catabolic Pathway
Anabolic Pathway
Catabolic Pathway
Release energy by breaking down complex molecules into simpler compounds.
Example of Catabolic Pathway
Cellular Respiration
Glucose
Anabolic Pathways
Consume energy to build complex molecules from simpler ones.
Example of Anabolic Pathways
Synthesis of protein
Bioenergetics
Study of how organisms manage their energy resources.
What is Energy?
The capacity to do/cause change.
What are the 4 forms of Energy?
Kinetic Energy
Thermal Energy
Potential Energy
Chemical Energy
Kinetic Energy
Energy associated with motion
Thermal Energy
Kinetic energy associated with random movement of atoms or molecules
thermal (aka heat)
Potential Energy
Energy that matter possesses because of its location/structure.
Chemical Energy
Potential energy avaliable for release in a chemical reaction.
First Law of Thermodynamics
The amount of energy in the universe is constant.
meaning
energy can not be created or destroyed; only transferred
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Every energy transfer or transformation increases entropy (disorder of universe).
Free Energy Change
A living systems free energy is energy that can do work when temperature and pressure are uniform, as in a living cell.
Change in free energy (delta G) is related to change in total energy (also called enthalpy delta H), change in entropy (delta s), and temperature in Kelvin (T)
Free-Energy Change Formula
delta G = delta H - (T*deltaS)
G = free energy H= total energy of a system T = temperature in Kelvin S = entropy