Metabolism and Laws of Thermodynamics
First law of thermodynamics
(conservation of mass, energy), states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, however it can be transformed or transferred. For example, when we light a match we're not creating energy but we're changing the form of energy. So when the match is burning, potential energy is converted into heat and light energy.
(conservation of mass, energy), states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, however it can be transformed or transferred. For example, when we light a match we're not creating energy but we're changing the form of energy. So when the match is burning, potential energy is converted into heat and light energy.
Energy In -- Energy Out = Energy Change
In the case of human body energy in is the calories from food and energy out is comprised of basal metabolic rate and exercise. Energy change is the accumulation or loss of either fat or muscle. If energy in is greater than energy out, weight is gained. If energy out is greater than energy in, weight is lost.
Second law of thermodynamics
(entropy), explains the phenomenon of irreversibility in nature. This law states that the entropy of universe increases with any change that occurs. For example, a new package of playing cards is highly ordered. If we throw the cards into the air, the cards get randomly assorted by the time they reach the ground---> entropy gets increases. Entropy is the measure of randomness in energy or in objects. The universe favours an increase in entropy. In any closed area, the amount of entropy will tend to increase. The metabolism of a cell achieves this by coupling the spontaneous process of catabolism to the non spontaneous process of anabolism. Overall, in thermodynamic terms, metabolism maintains order by creating a disorder. All changes either directly or indirectly result in an increase in the entropy (overall disorder) of the universe.
Third law of thermodynamics
(Absolute Zero) ---> bottom point on the Kelvin temperature scale. The Kelvin scale is absolute, meaning 0 kelvin is mathematically the lowest possible temperature in the universe.This corresponds to about -273.15 Celcius.
(entropy), explains the phenomenon of irreversibility in nature. This law states that the entropy of universe increases with any change that occurs. For example, a new package of playing cards is highly ordered. If we throw the cards into the air, the cards get randomly assorted by the time they reach the ground---> entropy gets increases. Entropy is the measure of randomness in energy or in objects. The universe favours an increase in entropy. In any closed area, the amount of entropy will tend to increase. The metabolism of a cell achieves this by coupling the spontaneous process of catabolism to the non spontaneous process of anabolism. Overall, in thermodynamic terms, metabolism maintains order by creating a disorder. All changes either directly or indirectly result in an increase in the entropy (overall disorder) of the universe.
Third law of thermodynamics
(Absolute Zero) ---> bottom point on the Kelvin temperature scale. The Kelvin scale is absolute, meaning 0 kelvin is mathematically the lowest possible temperature in the universe.This corresponds to about -273.15 Celcius.
Getting back to normal body temperature from zero temperature would take days and even weeks. At absolute zero, some cells would start up again causing a malfunction in the body system since not all organs or not all cells would be functioning right away after the absolute zero temperature. Getting back to normal body temperature from zero temperature would take days and even weeks. At absolute zero, some cells would start up again causing a malfunction in the body system since not all organs or not all cells would be functioning right away after the absolute zero temperature.
Second Law of Thermodynamics + Metabolic Process
Although living organism's amazing complexity appears to contradict this law, life is possible as all organisms are open systems that exchange matter as well as energy with their surroundings. Living systems are not in equilibrium, but instead systems maintain their high complexity by causing a larger increasing the entropy of their environment. The anabolic processes in the cell build highly ordered structures such as proteins and DNA. By coupling free energy yielding catabolic processes with energy requiring anabolic processes, living things building up their bodies and world around them. They do this at the expense of the entropy of the universe as a whole. The entropy in a particular system, such as an organism, may decrease, so long as the total entropy of the system plus its surroundings increases. Thus organisms are islands of low entropy in an increasing random universe. Metabolism enables natural forms to persist in states that are far from equilibrium for extended periods. If the second law of thermodynamics describe the essential tendencies of nature, from largest to smallest physical systems and spamming organic-inorganic divide the nature's essential activity would be metabolic.
Living organisms obey the second law of thermodynamics. They create order out of chaos in the local area of universe at the expense of creating a greater amount of disorder in the universe as whole. The evolution of biological order is perfectly consistent with the laws of thermodynamics.
Living organisms obey the second law of thermodynamics. They create order out of chaos in the local area of universe at the expense of creating a greater amount of disorder in the universe as whole. The evolution of biological order is perfectly consistent with the laws of thermodynamics.
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