The Laws of Thermodynamics Concept of Chemical Equilibrium

Abstract

Living organisms are centres of numerous transformations during which energy is converted from one form to another. Today, bioenergetic conversion constitutes an important chapter in Biochemistry. Energy can be transformed into chemical, mechanical or electrical work, or indeed radiated as heat. These bioenergetic conversions are accompanied by a loss of energy, which must be compensated for by an external supply or a transformation of reserve substances. Metabolism as a whole is under the control of thermodynamic laws. It is important to understand how living beings both extract energy from the world around them and how they use this energy. Without going too much into detail here, it is essential however to recall the principal thermodynamic laws. We will concentrate in particular on the practical aspects necessary for understanding those fundamental energetic principles that underlie the chemical reactions involved in metabolism.