Thermal Dynamics Flashcards
What are the first two Laws of Thermal Dynamics?
First Law: “Law of Conservation of Energy”
- Energy canot be created or destroyed, but it can be transformed from one type to another.
Second Law
- Transfer of energy from one form to another increases the entropy (degree of disorder) of a system
- As entropy increases, less energy is available for organisms to use to promote change
(entropy: the unability to tranform thermal energy to mechanical energy)
Change in free energy determines the direction in which…
a chemical reaction proceeds
What is the equation for Total Energy?
Usable energy + Unusable energy
H = G + TS
H= Enthalpy or total energy
G= Free energy or amount of energy for work
S= Entropy or unusable energy
T= Absolute temperature in Kelvin (K)
What is Exergonic?
- Energy that is released by a reaction
ΔG<0 therefore, negative free energy change
What is Endergonic?
- The requirement of energy to drive a reaction
ΔG>0 therefore, positive free energy change
If ΔG is negative then…
the process is exergonic and spontaneous
If ΔG is positive then…
the process is endergonic and not spontaneous
Why are endergonic reactions coupled with exergonic reactions?
To reduce the amount of free energy needed to do work
The reaction will be spontaneous if the net free energy change for both processes is…
negative
Enzymes…
Help speed up chemical reactions
What are the two types of energy?
Kinetic and Potential
Chemical reactions are either…
endergonic or exergonic
