Ch. 5.1 - Energy and the Cell

• capacity and change or perform work - kinetic and potential

• energy of motion • moving legs to move bike pedals • heat is a form of kinetic energy associated with the movement of atoms/molecules

energy from photons harvested by photosynthesis

• energy that matter processes as a result of its location or structure • a compressed spring, an archery bow pulled back, water behind a dam, bike on top of hill

• potential energy available for release in a chemical reaction • most important energy for life

what you’re studying (cells, a kettle with water, etc)

everything that exists outside of the system you’re studying (environment, kitchen, etc)

• thermos=heat, dynamics=work - study of energy transformations

some of the useful energy is lost

• energy releasing, products have less energy than the reactants • fire=exergonic - conversion of the glucose in wood (cellulose is a polymer of glucose) as heat and light - released very rapidly • cells function in much the same way only they don’t covert the energy the energy in glucose all at once, but in much smaller steps - a slow burn

energy requiring, products have more energy than the reactants

• energy in universe is constant • energy can be transformed but cannot be created or destroyed • during every energy transfer of energy, some becomes unavailable to do work, in most instances, being converted to heat

• entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness - the second law states that entropy of the universe constantly increases

• respiration=exergonic - photosynthesis=endergonic

• use of energy from exergonic reactions to drive endergonic reactions • ATP=energy currency

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