Metabolism is a term that is used to describe all chemical reactions
involved in maintaining the living state of the cells and the organism.
Metabolism can be conveniently divided into two categories:
Catabolism - the breakdown of molecules to obtain energy
Anabolism - the synthesis of all compounds needed by the cells
Metabolism is closely linked to nutrition and the availability of
nutrients.
Bioenergetics is a term which describes the biochemical or metabolic
pathways by which the cell ultimately obtains energy. Energy
formation is one of the vital components of metabolism.
Thermodynamics as applied to biological system
The laws of thermodynamic are important unifying principles of biology.
These principles govern the chemical processes (metabolism) in all
biological organisms.
First Law of Thermodynamics in Biological Systems Second Law of Thermodynamics in Biological Systems
The First Law of Thermodynamics, also known as the The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that when
law of conservation of energy, states that energy can energy is transferred, there will be less energy available at
neither be created nor destroyed. It may change from the end of the transfer process than at the beginning.
one form to another, but the energy in a closed system
remains constant.
Explanation- Explanation-
All biological organisms require energy to survive. In a As with other biological processes, the transfer of energy
closed system, such as the universe, this energy is not is not 100 percent efficient.
consumed but transformed from one form to another. In photosynthesis, for example, not all of the light energy
Cells, for example, perform a number of important is absorbed by the plant. Some energy is reflected and
processes. These processes require energy.
some is lost as heat. The loss of energy to the
In photosynthesis, the energy is supplied by the sun. surrounding environment results in an increase of
Light energy is absorbed by cells in plant leaves and disorder or entropy.
converted to chemical energy. Unlike plants and other photosynthetic organisms,
animals cannot generate energy directly from the
The chemical energy is stored in the form of glucose, sunlight. They must consume plants or other animal
which is used to form complex carbohydrates necessary
to build plant mass.
organisms for energy.
The higher up an organism is on the food chain, the less
available energy it receives from its food sources.
Much of this energy is lost during metabolic processes
performed by the producers and primary consumers
that are eaten. Therefore, much less energy is available
for organisms at higher trophic levels.
Endergonic Reactions
•Endergonic reactions may also be called an unfavorable reaction or nonspontaneous
reaction. The reaction requires more energy than you get from it.
•Endergonic reactions absorb energy from their surroundings.
•The chemical bonds that are formed from the reaction are weaker than the chemical
bonds that were broken.
•Examples : such as photosynthesis and the melting of ice into liquid water.
•If the temperature of the surroundings decreases, the reaction is endothermic.
Exergonic Reactions
•An exergonic reaction may be called a spontaneous reaction or a favorable reaction.
•Exergonic reactions release energy to the surroundings.
•The chemical bonds formed from the reaction are stronger than those that were
broken in the reactants.
•Examples: such as mixing sodium and chlorine to make table salt, combustion, and
chemiluminescence (light is the energy that is released).
•If the temperature of the surroundings increases, the reaction is exothermic.
ATP as energy currency
•Adenosine 5'-triphosphate, or ATP, is the principal molecule for storing and transferring
energy in cells.
•ATP is a nucleotide consisting of an adenine base attached to a ribose sugar, which is
attached to three phosphate groups.
•These three phosphate groups are linked to one another by two high-energy bonds
called phosphoanhydride bonds.
When one phosphate group is removed by breaking a phosphoanhydride bond in a
process called hydrolysis, energy is released, and ATP is converted to adenosine
diphosphate (ADP).
Likewise, energy is also released when a phosphate is removed from ADP to form
adenosine monophosphate (AMP). This free energy can be transferred to other molecules
to make unfavorable reactions in a cell favorable.
AMP can then be recycled into ADP or ATP by forming new phosphoanhydride bonds to
store energy once again.
In the cell, AMP, ADP, and ATP are constantly interconverted as they participate in
biological reactions.
ATP is primarily synthesized in the cellular respiration process. Glucose is the main
energy source in living organisms. During the process of aerobic respiration, the
catabolism of glucose takes place by glycolysis and Krebs Cycle or TCA cycle.
Glycolysis:
Glycolysis is the first step of
cellular respiration
occurring in all living
organisms. Some anaerobic
organisms and also some
mammalian cells depend
only on this process for
fulfilling their energy
needs.
Krebs Cycle:
The Krebs Cycle is a
sequence of reactions
by which most living
cells generate energy
during the process
of aerobic respiration.
It takes place in
the mitochondria,
using up oxygen and
producing
carbon dioxide and
water as waste
products, and ADP is
converted to energy-
rich ATP. This is also
known as the
Tricarboxylic acid cycle
(TCA).
Photosynthesis:
Photosynthesis is a
chemical reaction
through which plants,
bacteria, and Protista
use the energy from
sunlight to make
carbohydrates, which
are then processed into
Photosynthesis
ATP by cellular
respiration.
Photosynthesis is
complete in two stages,
which are light-
dependent reactions
and light-independent
reactions (Calvin cycle).
Light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle)
Light-dependent reactions
