APPLICABILITY OF 1ST AND 2ND LAWS OF

THERMODYNAMICS ON LIVING CELLS

INTRODUCTION
 The term thermodynamics simply implies the inter-conversion that exists
between heat and other forms of energy.
 Thermodynamics therefore, studies the state of a system in relation to its
energy content, energy changes, boundaries and surrounding.
 It concerns the storage, transformation and dissipation of energy.
 Just like non-biological machines, cells of living organisms are energy
transducers and involve energy changes in all their biochemical processes.

1ST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

 Despite all physical and chemical processes occurring in the universe, the
total energy in the universe remains a constant. This is because;
 All energy forms can neither be created nor destroyed but can be converted
from one energy form to another.
 Thus, 1st law of thermodynamics is otherwise known as law of energy
conservation or simply the energy law.

SOURCE OF BIOCHEMICAL ENERGY

 The ultimate universal source of energy for living cells is the solar energy
trapped by the green plants via photosynthesis.
 The solar energy is coupled into generation of energy in chemical form
(ATP; derived from carbohydrates, lipids and proteins etc.)
 Animal consumers feed directly or indirectly on green plants and through
this, the chemical energy gets ingested in these organisms.

APPLICABILITY OF 1ST LAW ON LIVING CELLS

 Living cells (plants and animals) have the ability to inter-covert this
chemical energy into various energy forms in order to carry out a number of
physiological functions. Viz;
 Living cells use chemical energy to synthesize biological membranes which
generate and maintain the structure of the cells. (conversion of chemical
energy to mechanical form)
 Living cells utilize chemical energy to bring about various movements. For
example, contraction of skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles. (conversion
 of chemical energy to mechanical form)
 Na+/K+ ATPase pumps in living cells convert chemical energy (ATP) into
electrical form by generating electro-chemical gradient due to ion exchange
across cell membranes. (conversion of chemical energy to electrical form)
 Various metabolic reactions in certain organs (liver for example) lead to
dissipation of heat form chemical energy. Heat energy maintains body
temperature. (conversion of chemical energy to heat energy)
 Some living organisms (certain species of insects for example) are known to
convert chemical energy to light energy.

CONCLUSION
 Living organisms carry out many biochemical processes necessary for
species survival via growth, reproduction, respiration and photosynthesis
among others.
 As seen from the above discussion, it fallows that during the course of these
biochemical processes, the living cells are neither able to create energy nor
destroy it, but are able to inter-convert basic energy forms (heat, chemical,
light, electrical and mechanical) from one form to another.
 In conclusion therefore, like all other systems in the universe living cells are
not exception. The 1st law of thermodynamics applies to them too, or rather;
living cells obey the 1st law of thermodynamics as well!

2ND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

 In all spontaneous physical and chemical processes, there is always an
increase in entropy of the universe. This is because;
 Energy conversion from one form to another is never 100% efficient, but
accompanied by dissipation of some energy fraction in form of heat.
 The 2nd law of thermodynamics is otherwise known as entropy law.

JUSTIFICATION OF 2ND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

 Entropy is the quantitative expression for the randomness or disorder in a
given system. Entropy/disorder increases from solid to gas through liquid
states of matter.
 The effect of heat energy on matter is to cause increase its disorder from
solid (perfectly ordered) to liquid (moderately ordered/disordered) and
finally to gas (perfectly disordered). Thus increasing the entropy.
 During energy conversion, there are always two products. Viz; useful energy
and useless energy.
 Energy A ————> Energy B + Heat (entropy). Energy A is the initial
energy form. Energy B is the first product formed due to conversion, it is
 called the “useful energy or Gibb’s free energy”. The second product is heat
dissipated, it is called the “useless energy or otherwise referred to as
entropy”.
 For example, 95% of Energy A is converted to Energy B while the
remaining 5% is converted to heat energy. The heat energy is also called
entropy because it is dissipated in the universe and causes the degree of
disorder of the universe to increase. Thus increasing the entropy of the
universe.
 Processes in the universe are either reversible or irreversible. The reversible
processes have reversible entropies; therefore the net entropy they cause in
the universe is zero. Whereas the irreversible processes always produce
positive entropy thereby, causing the entropy of the universe to increase
always.
 Thus, total net entropy change of the universe is; zero for reversible
processes plus positive entropy for the irreversible processes. Hence, entropy
of universe always increases. (2nd law justified)

APPLICABILITY OF 2ND LAW ON LIVING CELLS

 During energy conversion in living cells, some fraction of energy is
dissipated as heat. This is seen in processes like; respiration, strenuous
muscle contractions, metabolic processes of the liver and other tissues etc.
 This heat energy is dissipated via radiation (skin), convection (respiration)
and conduction (contact). Suppose you sit on a lab stool for an hour or so,
definitely its surface will gain heat dissipated from your body due to contact.
 This heat dissipated into the universe by the living cells will increase the
temperature of the universe thereby causing more disorder/entropy in the
universe.

CONCLUSION
 As seen from the above discussion, living cells have the ability to convert
one energy form to another, along the course of which heat energy is
dissipated in the universe.
 Dissipated heat energy from living cells causes the entropy of the universe to
increase.
 In conclusion therefore, like all other systems in the universe living cells are
not exception. The 2nd law of thermodynamics applies to them too, or rather;
living cells obey the 2nd law of thermodynamics as well!

I wish you best of luck in your exams