July 24, 2016 Sunday
Today was spent preparing the strategy to fight the evil.
Let us see how it all unfolds out in the following crucial week.
Electron transport chain (ETC) is a fascinating chemistry used by nearly all forms of life.
Plants use it in the vital process of photosynthesis.
Bacteria and eukaryotes use it in cellular respiration or oxidative phosphorylation.
It is fascinating how life could "learn" to use motion of electrons to drive proton or H+ pumps.
Skeptics and intelligent apes should ask the question:
What force can drive such a chain or pumps?
The answer is the Gibbs free energy.
The Gibbs free energy is the energy available ("free") to do work.
A reaction can occur spontaneously if there is an overall decrease in the Gibbs free energy.
I know I am not making it very clear.
Well...
Gibbs free energy is something like potential energy.
When a stone falls from a height, it looses its energy and does work.
This was easy.
Gibbs free energy is something like that in the world of thermodynamics.
It is measured in kilojoules.
It is an important concept of the second law of thermodynamics.
A system reacting at any fixed temperature and pressure, there is a general natural tendency to achieve a minimum Gibbs free energy.
An example is carbon of diamond to carbon of graphite would be spontaneous (even if very slow), as it is accompanied by decrease in the Gibbs free energy.
This is what drives the ETC.
The ETC at the end, translocates 4 protons H+ across the mitochondrial membrane, thereby creating and establishing a trans membrane difference of proton electrochemical potential.
The movement of protons from the inter membrane space into the matrix of mitochondria releases energy which powers the enzyme ATP synthase, an enzyme which has been conserved among all domains of life.
So where does the copper fit in the whole story?
Copper and iron lie in the heart of the enzyme Cytochrome c oxidase that binds oxygen molecule between these 2 elements.
Our mitochondria is chemistry at work (1000 to 2000 per cell. Average body having 37 trillion cells)!
Stay tuned to the voice of an average storytelling chimpanzee or login at http://panarrans.blogspot.in/
Good night mon ami and my fellow cousin ape.
Today was spent preparing the strategy to fight the evil.
Let us see how it all unfolds out in the following crucial week.
Electron transport chain (ETC) is a fascinating chemistry used by nearly all forms of life.
Plants use it in the vital process of photosynthesis.
Bacteria and eukaryotes use it in cellular respiration or oxidative phosphorylation.
It is fascinating how life could "learn" to use motion of electrons to drive proton or H+ pumps.
Skeptics and intelligent apes should ask the question:
What force can drive such a chain or pumps?
The answer is the Gibbs free energy.
The Gibbs free energy is the energy available ("free") to do work.
A reaction can occur spontaneously if there is an overall decrease in the Gibbs free energy.
I know I am not making it very clear.
Well...
Gibbs free energy is something like potential energy.
When a stone falls from a height, it looses its energy and does work.
This was easy.
Gibbs free energy is something like that in the world of thermodynamics.
It is measured in kilojoules.
It is an important concept of the second law of thermodynamics.
A system reacting at any fixed temperature and pressure, there is a general natural tendency to achieve a minimum Gibbs free energy.
An example is carbon of diamond to carbon of graphite would be spontaneous (even if very slow), as it is accompanied by decrease in the Gibbs free energy.
This is what drives the ETC.
The ETC at the end, translocates 4 protons H+ across the mitochondrial membrane, thereby creating and establishing a trans membrane difference of proton electrochemical potential.
The movement of protons from the inter membrane space into the matrix of mitochondria releases energy which powers the enzyme ATP synthase, an enzyme which has been conserved among all domains of life.
So where does the copper fit in the whole story?
Copper and iron lie in the heart of the enzyme Cytochrome c oxidase that binds oxygen molecule between these 2 elements.
Our mitochondria is chemistry at work (1000 to 2000 per cell. Average body having 37 trillion cells)!
Stay tuned to the voice of an average storytelling chimpanzee or login at http://panarrans.blogspot.in/
Good night mon ami and my fellow cousin ape.
No comments:
Post a Comment