Applications of Thermodynamics to Biological Processes

In this chapter, we continue the discussion begun in the last chapter of applying thermodynamics to chemical processes. We will focus our discussion here on two examples of biological interest. The principles are the same — all of our thermodynamic relationships work. But biochemists have their own vocabulary, and sometimes apply unique conditions to their systems. For example, as we shall see, unusual standard states are sometimes chosen. There is nothing wrong with this, since the choice of standard states is completely arbitrary as long as we keep track of what is done. Standard states are usually chosen in a way that makes the results most useful. That is true in this case. 

We will focus our attention in this chapter on an overview of the thermodynamic analysis of metabolism and of the stabilities of two types of biomolecules, proteins and nucleic acids. Rather than provide a comprehensive account of thermodynamic applications to biological systems, we have chosen these two key areas where, historically, thermodynamic measurements have 

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