Internal Energy (E)
The internal energy of a biochemical system includes any kind of energy that might be changed by any chemical or biochemical reaction. Examples include the kinetic energy of motion and the energy of vibration and rotation of every atom, molecule and ion in the system. Other examples include all of the energy stored in the chemical bonds between atoms and the energy of noncovalent interactions between molecules and ions. The internal energy of a system is a function of its state. That is, the internal energy depends only on the initial and final states of the system, not on the path taken to get from the initial state to the final state. The thermodynamic state of a system is defined by prescribing the amounts of all substances and any two of the following three system variables:
1) Temperature (T)
2) Pressure (P)
3) Volume (V)
An open system can exchange energy with its surroundings and may therefore change its internal energy. This change is called
When V is changed against a constant P, w = P
w=
Enthalpy
The enthalpy (H) is defined as H = E + PV. Where E is the internal energy, P is the pressure, and V is the volume.
At constant pressure,
q =
q =
Thus, when the heat of a reaction is measured at constant pressure, it is really
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
The entropy of an ordered state is lower than that of a disordered state of the same system. For example, there are more ways to put a large number of molecules in a random or disorderly arrangement than there are to put them in an orderly arrangement. Thus, the increasing entropy in a system is a thermodynamic driving force.
The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of an isolated system will tend to increase to a maximum value. However, this form of the second law is of little use biologically because it applies only to isolated systems (systems that do not exchange energy with their surroundings). Most biological systems, however, are open - they exchange energy and matter with their surroundings. Thus, biological systems undergo changes in energy and entropy in many reactions, and both must determine the direction of thermodynamically favorable processes. The Gibbs Free Energy (G) is a function of state that includes both energy and entropy terms:
G = H-TS, where T is the absolute temperature, H (the enthalpy) measures the energy change at constant pressure, and S (the entropy) measures the randomness of the system. At constant temperature and pressure,
A decrease in energy (-
1.
2. A positive
Interplay of Enthalpy and Entropy
Table 3.3 summarizes how the balance between enthalpy and entropy determines the direction in which a process is thermodynamically favorable. However, keep in mind the following:
1. The favorability of a process (negative
2. The entropy of an open system can decrease, but energy must be expended to do so, however.
Table 3.3
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Free Energy and Useful Work
The term
Free Energy and Concentration
Standard state represents a 1M solution. The chemical potential of a component A (GA) is equal to the chemical potential at the standard state plus RT ln[A]
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At [A] = 1M, GA = GA
Consider moving molecule A from one side of a membrane through which A can pass (region 1) to the other (region 2).
The free energy of moving A out of region 1 is given by
The free energy of moving A into region 2 is given by
Overall,
Thus, if the concentration of A in region 2 is lower than in region 1,
Free Energy Change and the Equilibrium Constant
Free energy is a state function, so
Consider the reaction aA + bB <=> cC + dD, where a is the number of moles of component A, b is the number of moles of component B, etc.
Using the equation for the chemical potential, and collecting the standard state terms into a single
Simplifying (and remembering that each product and reactant must be raised to the appropriate power) yields the following general equation for determining
At equilibrium, the equilibrium constant K for the reaction is given by
K = {([C]c[D]d)/([A]a[B]b)}
Recall that
0 =
-
Whenever a system is displaced from equilibrium, it will spontaneously proceed in the direction necessary to reestablish the equilibrium state. Negative
Coupled Reactions
Reactions, such as A<=>B and C<=>D, when coupled, have a
Important Points about G
1. Three important terms relating to the free energy change of a process are:
Thus, a positive
2.
3.
Factors Contributing to Large Energies of Hydrolysis of Phosphate Compounds
1. Resonance stabilization of phosphate products. Figure 3.9 depicts the resonance stabilization of the orthophosphate ion, HPO42- (abbreviated Pi). The multiple resonance forms are of equal energy, but all are not possible when the phosphate group is bound in an ester, such as ATP. Once Pi is released upon hydrolysis, however, the multiple resonance forms increase the overall entropy of the system, an energetically favorable process.
Figure 3.9: Resonance stabilization of orthophosphate, HPO42- (Pi).
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2. Additional hydration of hydrolysis products - Release of Pi allows greater opportunities for hydration. Hydration is an energetically favored state.
3. Electrostatic repulsion between charged products - When both products of hydrolysis are negatively charged (e.g., ADP and Pi in the hydrolysis of ATP), repulsion of the ionized products favors hydrolysis.
4. Enhanced resonance stabilization or tautomerization of product molecules - Hydrolysis is favored when product molecules can adopt multiple molecular forms. For example, pyruvate has two molecular forms, whereas PEP has only one.
5. Release of a proton in buffered solution - A proton is released in some hydrolysis reactions (see Figure 3.7), so hydrogen ion concentration (pH) influences the reaction.
For ATP4- + H2O <=> ADP3- + HPO42- + H+,
Because RT ln{[H+] / [H2O]} is relatively constant at pH 7.0 in biological systems, it can be incorporated into