Biochemical Reactions, Enzymes, and ATP

This session will introduce basic ideas of metabolism, Gibbs free energy, biochemical reactions, enzymes and ATP as the energy currency.

Learning Objectives

• To understand that organisms, through their biochemistry, transform matter and energy.
• To apply the general laws of thermodynamics to biological reactions.
• To define Gibbs free energy, determine the Gibbs free energy change associated with a biochemical reaction, and identify spontaneous and non-spontaneous reactions.
• To understand the role that enzymes play in biochemical reactions.
• To understand how ATP provides the energy to power cellular work.