AP Bio MODULE 13-14 Vocab

Kinetic energy

energy of motion or energy associated with movement

Potential energy

Stored energy that depends on the structure of an object or its position relative to a field or its surroundings

Chemical energy

form of potential energy held in the chemical bonds between pairs of atoms in a molecule

metabolic pathway

A series of linked chemical reactions in which molecules are built up or broken down, where the product of one reaction serves as the reactant for the next

Adenosine Disphosphate (ADP)

chemical relative of ATP composed of ribose, adenine, and two phosphate groups, containing less chemical energy than ATP

First Law of thermodynamics

Also known as the law of conservation of energy, it states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another, leaving the total amount of energy in the universe constant

Entropy

The degree of disorder in a system, or a measure of the number of possible positions and motions available to a molecule

Second Law of thermodynamics

principle stating that every energy transformation is associated with an increase in the entropy (disorder) of the universe

Gibbs Free energy

The amount of energy available to do work in a system or reaction

Exergonic

Describes spontaneous chemical reactions with a negative change in free energy (delta G) that release energy available to do work

Endergonic

non-spontaneous chemical reactions with a positive change in free energy (delta g) that require a net input of energy

Energetic Coupling

A process in which a spontaneous (exergonic) reaction drives a non-spontaneous (endergonic) reaction22. It requires the sum of the free energy changes (delta) for the combined reactions to be negative and usually involves a shared intermediate molecule2223

Catabolism

set of metabolic chemical reactions that breaks down molecules into smaller units, releasing energy and often producing ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate

Anabolism

set of metabolic chemical reactions that builds molecules from smaller units, requiring an input of energy typically provided by ATP

Enzyme

protein that acts as a biological catalyst to accelerate the rate of a chemical reaction in a cell without being consumed

Catalyst

substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process or altering the reaction's equilibrium

Transition state

highly unstable intermediate state between reactants and products that has the highest amount of free energy during a chemical reaction

Activation energy

The initial input of energy required for reactants to reach the transition state and overcome the energy barrier to proceed

substrate

specific reactant molecule that binds to an enzyme in a catalyzed reaction

Active site

specific region of a folded enzyme that binds the substrate and catalyzes its conversion to product

Denature

process by which a protein or enzyme unfolds and loses its three-dimensional structure, causing it to completely lose its biological function

Activator

A molecule that binds to an enzyme and increases its activity

Inhibitor

molecule that binds to an enzyme and decreases or stops its activity

Allosteric site

region on an enzyme distinct from the active site where regulatory molecules, such as allosteric inhibitors or activators, bind to alter enzyme shape and activity[16]