Skip to main content
Back

Advanced Human Physiology Exam 2 Review – Guided Study Notes

NotesPracticeVideo lessons

Study Guide - Smart Notes

Tailored notes based on your materials, expanded with key definitions, examples, and context.

Q1. What is free energy (in products and reactants) and activation energy? Endergonic and exergonic reactions? How do the two groupings relate to each other? Know the graphs for each and be able to label the reactants, products, activation energy and the axis with free energy and time.

Background

Topic: Bioenergetics and Chemical Reactions

This question tests your understanding of energy changes in chemical reactions, specifically the concepts of free energy, activation energy, and the difference between endergonic and exergonic reactions. It also asks you to interpret and label reaction energy diagrams.

Key Terms and Concepts:

  • Free Energy (G): The energy available to do work in a system.

  • Activation Energy (Ea): The minimum energy required to start a chemical reaction.

  • Endergonic Reaction: A reaction that absorbs free energy (ΔG > 0).

  • Exergonic Reaction: A reaction that releases free energy (ΔG < 0).

Key Formulas:

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Review the definitions of free energy, activation energy, endergonic, and exergonic reactions.

  2. Draw or visualize a reaction energy diagram with free energy (G) on the y-axis and reaction progress (or time) on the x-axis.

  3. Label the reactants and products on the diagram. Indicate which has higher free energy for endergonic vs. exergonic reactions.

  4. Identify and label the activation energy as the energy difference between the reactants and the peak of the curve.

  5. Relate the sign of to whether the reaction is endergonic or exergonic.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q2. What are cofactors and coenzymes and what is their role?

Background

Topic: Enzyme Function and Regulation

This question focuses on the importance of cofactors and coenzymes in enzymatic reactions and their roles in metabolism.

Key Terms:

  • Cofactor: A non-protein chemical compound required for enzyme activity (can be metal ions or organic molecules).

  • Coenzyme: A specific type of cofactor that is an organic molecule, often derived from vitamins.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Define cofactors and coenzymes, noting the difference between them.

  2. Explain how cofactors and coenzymes assist enzymes in catalyzing reactions (e.g., by stabilizing transition states or transferring chemical groups).

  3. Give examples of common cofactors (e.g., Mg2+, Zn2+) and coenzymes (e.g., NAD+, FAD).

  4. Describe what happens to enzyme activity if the required cofactor or coenzyme is missing.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q3. Know the first and second laws of thermodynamics and how each relates to human health.

Background

Topic: Thermodynamics in Physiology

This question tests your understanding of the basic laws of thermodynamics and their implications for biological systems and health.

Key Terms and Laws:

  • First Law of Thermodynamics: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

  • Second Law of Thermodynamics: Entropy (disorder) of the universe tends to increase; energy transformations are inefficient.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. State the first and second laws of thermodynamics in your own words.

  2. Explain how the first law applies to energy balance in the human body (e.g., energy intake vs. expenditure).

  3. Discuss how the second law relates to metabolic processes and the need for constant energy input to maintain order (homeostasis).

  4. Consider examples of how violations of these laws would affect human health.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q4. What is metabolism, anabolism, and catabolism?

Background

Topic: Metabolic Pathways

This question asks you to define and distinguish between metabolism, anabolism, and catabolism, which are fundamental concepts in physiology.

Key Terms:

  • Metabolism: The sum of all chemical reactions in the body.

  • Anabolism: The synthesis of complex molecules from simpler ones (requires energy).

  • Catabolism: The breakdown of complex molecules into simpler ones (releases energy).

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Define metabolism as the total of all chemical reactions in a living organism.

  2. Differentiate between anabolic and catabolic pathways, focusing on energy requirements and outcomes.

  3. Provide examples of anabolic (e.g., protein synthesis) and catabolic (e.g., glycolysis) processes.

  4. Explain why both processes are essential for life.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q5. How do cells regulate their metabolic pathways?

Background

Topic: Metabolic Regulation

This question explores the mechanisms cells use to control the rates and directions of metabolic pathways.

Key Concepts:

  • Enzyme regulation (allosteric regulation, covalent modification)

  • Feedback inhibition

  • Gene expression control

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. List the main ways cells regulate metabolic pathways (e.g., enzyme activity, gene expression).

  2. Describe how feedback inhibition works to prevent overproduction of end products.

  3. Explain the role of allosteric enzymes in pathway regulation.

  4. Discuss how cells can upregulate or downregulate enzymes as needed.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Pearson Logo

Study Prep