BIOL 112 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Thermodynamics, Catabolism, Protein Folding

• School: McGill University
• Department: Biology
• Course: BIOL 112
• Professor: Frieder Schoeck

Document Summary

Metabolism, subdivided into two different reactions: anabolic (building) - reactions link simple molecules together to make complex ones. Energy-storing, require energy input: catabolic (break down) - break down complex molecules into simpler ones. Cells must constantly acquire energy from their environment. What drives energy conversions: not the energy content(amount), because it is always the same. First law of thermodynamics: energy cannot be created/destroyed: but the drive of energy becomes evenly distributed or dispersed. By dispersing energy/increasing entropy (in the universe) how: with a chemical reaction creating disorder in the cell (digesting polymer) delta s, with a chemical reaction releasing heat which generates disorder/disperses energy in the surrounding (environment) delta. Total free energy g = h - ts (h = enthalpy = heat; s = entropy = disorder; t = absolute temperature) We don"t want to know (and cant calculate) total free energy, only change associated with specific chemical reaction. Change can be measured in calories or joules.