Metabolism - Chemical Rxns I (Part 1) | BIALIGY.com

About this video

• Video Title: Metabolism - Chemical Rxns I (Part 1)
• Channel: BIALIGY
• Speakers: None listed
• Duration: 00:09:43

Overview

This video introduces chemical reactions in the context of metabolism. It explains that the sun is the ultimate source of energy, which is converted into usable forms for biological processes. The video also details different types of cellular work (mechanical, transport, chemical) driven by these reactions and defines key thermodynamic terms like enthalpy (H) and Gibbs free energy (G), explaining their significance in determining whether a biochemical reaction is spontaneous or non-spontaneous.

Key takeaways

• Sun as the Energy Source: The sun is the primary source of energy, which life on Earth utilizes and converts into biologically friendly forms.
• Cellular Work: Chemical reactions in metabolism drive cellular work, including mechanical processes (organelle movement, synthesis), transport, and chemical transformations.
• Types of Cellular Energy: Cells utilize potential energy (stored in covalent bonds of high-energy molecules like glucose) and kinetic energy (released when bonds break, enabling motion).
• Metabolic Energy: This is defined as chemical reactions that change atomic arrangements, such as converting glucose to ATP.
• Thermodynamic Terms:
  • Enthalpy (H): Represents the total bond energy of a system, equivalent to its total potential energy.
  • Gibbs Free Energy (G): Represents the amount of energy available to do work under the conditions of a biochemical reaction.
• Spontaneity of Reactions:
  • A positive G value indicates a non-spontaneous, unfavorable reaction.
  • A negative G value indicates a spontaneous, favorable reaction that occurs without external influence.