Introduction to Metabolism Flashcards
Metabolism
Totality of an organism’s chemical reactions
Catabolic Pathways
Breakdown pathways; release energy
Anabolic Pathways
Build complicated molecules; consume energy
Kinetic Energy
Energy of motion
Spontaneous Process/Reaction
Increases entropy; no input of energy required; doesn’t happen quickly; energetically favorable
Nonspontaneous Process/Reaction
*Also increases entropy; need input of energy; energetically less favorable
What does free energy change tell?
Whether or not a reaction occurred spontaneously
Negative Free Energy
Spontaneous; either enthalpy has to be negative or entropy must be positive, or both
When spontaneous…
System more stable in final state (less free energy in final state)
Free Energy
Measure of system’s instability
- Unstable- High G
- Stable- Low G
Where do systems move toward?
Greater stability (High G to Low G)
When is a process spontaneous and only doing work?
When it’s moving towards equilibrium
What happens to a cell that achieves metabolic equilibrium?
It’s dead; metabolism is never at equilibrium
What do cells need to do to keep themselves from reaching equilibrium?
Steady supply of glucose, other fuels, and oxygen and able to expel waste to surroundings
How does ATP power cellular work?
By coupling exergonic reactions to endergonic reactions; aka exergonic drives endergonic
