Biophysics 354
Lecture 3

Introduction

In this lecture we review elementary thermodynamics, and look at how the concepts apply to biochemical systems.

Energy, work and heat

Summary of the relation between energy, work and heat.
Lesson from classical thermodynamics

Derivation of thermodynamic equations of use in biology

Relation between free energy and concentration

Relation between G and equilibrium constant

Equilibrium constant for protolytic reactions,- pH and pK, and the Henderson-Hasselbalch relationship

Standard States

A brief discussion of Thermodynamic Standard States.

NIST ONLINE Reference Databases

A treasure-trove of invaluable data on physical and chemical standards, SI system of units, etc.

A useful summary of the guts of Physical Chemistry from Colby College Dept. of Chemistry.

The Second Law in easy steps.

AVI movies illustrating physical principles (eg. Carnot Cycle)

A few of the early thermodynamicists

Sadi Carnot (1796-1832)

Joule (1818-1889)

Clausius (1822-1888)

Maxwell (1831-1879)

For other biographical sketches in this series, see Eric's Treasure Trove of Scientific Biography.

Free Energy Changes in Glycolysis

NIST pages of Thermodynamics of Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions

Comprehensive list of enzyme catalyzed reactions, and the thermodynamic data for each, with references

Brief list of DG^'o values for the reactions of glycolysis

Physical constants

NIST pages of PHYSICAL REFERENCE DATA

Brief list of the main Physical Constants, and values for RT

©Copyright 1996, Antony Crofts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a-crofts@uiuc.edu