Chapter 5: The Dynamic Cell

Flashcards about cell dynamics, energy, and enzymes.

Energy

The capacity to do work.

Potential energy

Stored energy.

Kinetic energy

Energy of motion.

First law of thermodynamics (conservation of energy)

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be changed from one form to another.

Second law of thermodynamics

Energy cannot be changed from one form to another without a loss of usable energy.

Entropy

The relative amount of disorganization or randomness.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate; the energy currency of cells.

Metabolic pathway

A series of linked reactions in a cell.

Enzymes

Protein molecules that function as organic catalysts to speed up reactions.

Energy of activation (Ea)

Energy needed to cause molecules to react with one another.

Enzyme’s active site

The specific region of an enzyme that accommodates the substrate.

Enzyme inhibition

Occurs when an active enzyme is prevented from combining with its substrate.

Feedback inhibition

When a product is in abundance, it competes with the substrate for the active site, inhibiting the enzyme.