21 - Energy and the ATP Cycle

autotroph

obtains carbon from inorganic molecules

heterotroph

obtains its carbon from organic molecules

photosynthesis

process of converting light energy into chemical energy

anabolic

requires energy to BUILD bigger molecules from smaller molecules

catabolic

Bigger molecules are broken down into smaller ones

thermodynamics

study of energy and energy transfer

entropy

measure of randomness or disorder within a system

energy

the ability to do work

kinetic energy

energy of objects or particles

potential energy

energy type that has the potential to do work; stored energy

chemical energy

potential energy in chemical bonds

Gibbs free energy

The energy that is available to do work (delta G)

exergonic

release free energy + DESTROY bigger molecules

endergonic

require energy + BUILD Bigger Molecules

adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

the energy currency molecule of cells

energy coupling

energy released by an exergonic reaction is used to drive an endergonic reaction

enthalpy

the total energy of a system

heat

energy that is not work energy