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Michaelmas Term 1 > Life Requires A Continual Energy Flux > Flashcards

Life Requires A Continual Energy Flux Flashcards

1
Q

Life is not a thing, but a

A

Process powered by energy harvested from the environment

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2
Q

The total entropy of a system and it’s surroundings

A

Increases for a spontaneous process

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3
Q

Entropy

A

A measure of the disorder or randomness of a system

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4
Q

What is the fate of the universe in line With the 2nd law

A
  • heat death
  • the big chill
  • all matter has reached an equilibrium state of maximum disorder
  • no spontaneous reactions
  • no energy available
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5
Q

Heat energy always flows from

A

Hot to cold

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6
Q

Heat

A

The random motion of atoms or molecules in collision

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7
Q

How do steam engines use the second law?

A
  • heat generates water vapour
  • vapour expansion coupled to mechanical work
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8
Q

The second law dictates that

A

Processes proceed spontaneously until an equilibrium is reached

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9
Q

What is statistical mechanics?

A
  • predicts how atomic or molecular properties (mass, charge, position) determine physical properties of matter
  • probability distributions of relationship between micro system states and macroscopic matter properties (eg temperature, viscosity)
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10
Q

Who developed statistical mechanics?

A
  • Ludwig Boltzmann
  • James Clerk Maxwell
  • Josiah Willard Gibbs
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11
Q

Entropy equation

A

S = k.ln W
S = entropy
k = constant
W = number of possible micro states corresponding to the macro state of the system

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12
Q

Why will a system almost always be found either in the state of maximum disorder or moving towards it?

A

There are so many more possible disordered states than owhat der d ones

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13
Q

What is the second law, under the lens of statistical mechanics?

A

Statistical probability for matter made or mechanically colliding particles

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14
Q

Life clearly involves

A

An increase in order (decrease in entropy)

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15
Q

Local entropy can decrease spontaneously (matter becomes more ordered) as long as

A

The total entropy of the system as a whole increases

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16
Q

Life is possible because

A

It’s biochemical processes increase the entropy of the environment

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17
Q

Living organisms take up

A
  • ordered forms of energy (low entropy) from the environment
  • release them as less ordered forms (high entropy)
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18
Q

Entropy within a cell

A
  • is decreased (highly ordered macromolecules are formed)
  • total energy of the system + surroundings increases
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19
Q

Macromolecule formation does not occur

A

Spontaneously

20
Q

How is macromolecule formation achieved?

A
  • expenditure of free energy by nucleotide triphosphate hydrolysis (eg ATP or GTP)
21
Q

Spontaneity equation

A

ΔSsystem + ΔSsurroundings = ΔSuniverse = +ve

22
Q

Gibbs free energy concept

A

ΔG is always negative for a spontaneous process

23
Q

ΔG equation

A

ΔG = ΔHsystem - TΔSsystem

24
Q

H

A

Enthalpy

25
Q

T

A

Temperature in Kelvin

26
Q

Enthalpy

A

Measure if change in heat in the system (reaction)

27
Q

For spontaneous reactions, ΔHsystem is

A

Negative

28
Q

Spontaneous reactions are

A

Exothermic

29
Q

What does exo/endothermy depend on

A

The chemical bond energies of the reactants and products

30
Q

Why do covalent bonds form?

A

They are more stable arrangements that separate atoms

31
Q

Breaking chemical bonds takes

A

Energy

32
Q

The more stable (strong) the bond

A

The more energy it takes to break it

33
Q

ΔHsystem

A
  • net energy release
  • energy added to break reactant bonds - energy released from forming product bonds
34
Q

In exothermic reactions,

A
  • more energy is released from forming the product bonds than is required to break the reactant bonds
  • ΔHsystem < 0
35
Q

A reaction can be made to occur spontaneously by

A

Coupling to a second, more favourable reaction

36
Q

Example of reaction coupling for spontaneity

A

Glucose + fructose -> sucrose + H2O (+27kJ/mol)
ATP + H2O -> ADP + Pi (-30kJ/mol)
Glucose + fructose + ATP -> sucrose + ADP + Pi (-3kJ/mol)

37
Q

The chemistry of life is kept away from equilibrium by

A

Expenditure of energy

38
Q

Stable, non-equilibrium systems

A
  • When energy is poured into a system and the system dissipates, that energy slides towards increased entropy
  • on this slide, it can become poised in an orderly configuration
39
Q

Is ATP a universal energy currency

A

Yes

40
Q

What is a nucleoside?

A

Base + sugar (no phosphate)

41
Q

Energy can be captured as ATP by

A
  • Catabolism of organic molecules coupled to ATP and NADH synthesis
42
Q

Heterotroph

A

Ah organism that depends on intake of organic environmental carbon sources

43
Q

Photoautotrophs

A

convert light energy to chemical energy using inorganic molecules such as H2O or H2S as electron donor

44
Q

How do autotrophs fix carbon into sugars

A
  • extracted electrons generate ATP and reduced electron carriers (eg NADPH)
  • these drive biochemical cycles for atmospheric CO2 fixation
45
Q

Non-equilibrium systems are

A

An inevitable consequence of the second law in a system that is abundant in energy

46
Q

Evolution of photosynthesis allows

A

Translocation of life away from hydrothermal smokers

47
Q

Heat and CO2 escape causes

A

Tertiary energy loss

Michaelmas Term 1 (42 decks)

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