The Energy of Life

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and definitions related to energy, metabolism, chemical reactions, and transport processes in cells.

Energy

The ability to do work or move matter.

Potential Energy

Stored energy or energy at rest.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion.

Free Energy

Energy available for work.

Entropy

Unavailable energy, often found as heat in a reaction.

Chemical Energy

Energy stored in chemical bonds.

Mechanical Energy

Energy associated with the motion of objects.

Thermal Energy

Energy in the form of heat.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

The primary energy currency for cells.

Enzyme

Biological catalyst that lowers the activation energy of a reaction.

Activation Energy

The minimum amount of energy required for a reaction to occur.

Competitive Inhibition

Inhibition that occurs when a substrate and inhibitor compete for an active site.

Noncompetitive Inhibition

Inhibition that occurs when an inhibitor binds to an allosteric site, changing the shape of the enzyme.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Tonicity

Comparison of solute concentrations outside a cell versus inside a cell.

Dialysis

Diffusion of a solute through a semi-permeable membrane.

Facilitated Transport

Movement of substances across a membrane with the help of transport proteins.

Phagocytosis

A form of endocytosis where the cell engulfs large particles, often referred to as 'cell eating'.

Pinocytosis

A form of endocytosis where the cell takes in liquid, often referred to as 'cell drinking'.

Exocytosis

The process of expelling materials from a cell.