Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes

Autores
Mayorga, Luis Segundo; López, María José; Becker, Wayne M.
Año de publicación
2012
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Thermodynamic principles are basic to an understanding of the complex fluxes of energy and information required to keep cells alive. These microscopic machines are nonequilibrium systems at the micron scale that are maintained in pseudo-steady-state conditions by very sophisticated processes. Therefore, several nonstandard concepts need to be taught to rationalize why these very ordered systems proliferate actively all over our planet in seeming contradiction to the second law of thermodynamics. We propose a model consisting of boxes with different shapes that contain small balls that are in constant motion due to a stream of air blowing from below. This is a simple macroscopic system that can be easily visualized by students and that can be understood as mimicking the behavior of a set of molecules exchanging energy.With such boxes, the basic concepts of entropy, enthalpy, and free energy can be taught while reinforcing a molecular understanding of the concepts and stressing the stochastic nature of the thermodynamic laws. In addition, time-related concepts, such as reaction rates and activation energy, can be readily visualized. Moreover, the boxes provide an intuitive way to introduce the role in cellular organization of "information" and Maxwell's demons operating under nonequilibrium conditions.
Fil: Mayorga, Luis Segundo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; Argentina
Fil: López, María José. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina
Fil: Becker, Wayne M.. Department of Botany; Estados Unidos
Materia
TERMODINÁMICA
INFORMACIÓN
EDUCACIÓN
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/216444
Acceder
id CONICETDig_087b2d43eee83de2c89130abe77da550
oai_identifier_str oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/216444
network_acronym_str CONICETDig
repository_id_str 3498
network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxesMayorga, Luis SegundoLópez, María JoséBecker, Wayne M.TERMODINÁMICAINFORMACIÓNEDUCACIÓNhttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.4https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Thermodynamic principles are basic to an understanding of the complex fluxes of energy and information required to keep cells alive. These microscopic machines are nonequilibrium systems at the micron scale that are maintained in pseudo-steady-state conditions by very sophisticated processes. Therefore, several nonstandard concepts need to be taught to rationalize why these very ordered systems proliferate actively all over our planet in seeming contradiction to the second law of thermodynamics. We propose a model consisting of boxes with different shapes that contain small balls that are in constant motion due to a stream of air blowing from below. This is a simple macroscopic system that can be easily visualized by students and that can be understood as mimicking the behavior of a set of molecules exchanging energy.With such boxes, the basic concepts of entropy, enthalpy, and free energy can be taught while reinforcing a molecular understanding of the concepts and stressing the stochastic nature of the thermodynamic laws. In addition, time-related concepts, such as reaction rates and activation energy, can be readily visualized. Moreover, the boxes provide an intuitive way to introduce the role in cellular organization of "information" and Maxwell's demons operating under nonequilibrium conditions.Fil: Mayorga, Luis Segundo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: López, María José. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Becker, Wayne M.. Department of Botany; Estados UnidosAmerican Society for Cell Biology2012-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/216444Mayorga, Luis Segundo; López, María José; Becker, Wayne M.; Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes; American Society for Cell Biology; Cbeâ—life Sciences Education; 11; 1; 1-2012; 31-381931-7913CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.11-07-0053info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1187/cbe.11-07-0053info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-10-29T12:45:22Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/216444instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-10-29 12:45:22.531CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes
title Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes
spellingShingle Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes
Mayorga, Luis Segundo
TERMODINÁMICA
INFORMACIÓN
EDUCACIÓN
title_short Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes
title_full Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes
title_fullStr Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes
title_full_unstemmed Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes
title_sort Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Mayorga, Luis Segundo
López, María José
Becker, Wayne M.
author Mayorga, Luis Segundo
author_facet Mayorga, Luis Segundo
López, María José
Becker, Wayne M.
author_role author
author2 López, María José
Becker, Wayne M.
author2_role author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv TERMODINÁMICA
INFORMACIÓN
EDUCACIÓN
topic TERMODINÁMICA
INFORMACIÓN
EDUCACIÓN
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.4
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Thermodynamic principles are basic to an understanding of the complex fluxes of energy and information required to keep cells alive. These microscopic machines are nonequilibrium systems at the micron scale that are maintained in pseudo-steady-state conditions by very sophisticated processes. Therefore, several nonstandard concepts need to be taught to rationalize why these very ordered systems proliferate actively all over our planet in seeming contradiction to the second law of thermodynamics. We propose a model consisting of boxes with different shapes that contain small balls that are in constant motion due to a stream of air blowing from below. This is a simple macroscopic system that can be easily visualized by students and that can be understood as mimicking the behavior of a set of molecules exchanging energy.With such boxes, the basic concepts of entropy, enthalpy, and free energy can be taught while reinforcing a molecular understanding of the concepts and stressing the stochastic nature of the thermodynamic laws. In addition, time-related concepts, such as reaction rates and activation energy, can be readily visualized. Moreover, the boxes provide an intuitive way to introduce the role in cellular organization of "information" and Maxwell's demons operating under nonequilibrium conditions.
Fil: Mayorga, Luis Segundo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; Argentina
Fil: López, María José. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina
Fil: Becker, Wayne M.. Department of Botany; Estados Unidos
description Thermodynamic principles are basic to an understanding of the complex fluxes of energy and information required to keep cells alive. These microscopic machines are nonequilibrium systems at the micron scale that are maintained in pseudo-steady-state conditions by very sophisticated processes. Therefore, several nonstandard concepts need to be taught to rationalize why these very ordered systems proliferate actively all over our planet in seeming contradiction to the second law of thermodynamics. We propose a model consisting of boxes with different shapes that contain small balls that are in constant motion due to a stream of air blowing from below. This is a simple macroscopic system that can be easily visualized by students and that can be understood as mimicking the behavior of a set of molecules exchanging energy.With such boxes, the basic concepts of entropy, enthalpy, and free energy can be taught while reinforcing a molecular understanding of the concepts and stressing the stochastic nature of the thermodynamic laws. In addition, time-related concepts, such as reaction rates and activation energy, can be readily visualized. Moreover, the boxes provide an intuitive way to introduce the role in cellular organization of "information" and Maxwell's demons operating under nonequilibrium conditions.
publishDate 2012
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2012-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/216444
Mayorga, Luis Segundo; López, María José; Becker, Wayne M.; Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes; American Society for Cell Biology; Cbeâ—life Sciences Education; 11; 1; 1-2012; 31-38
1931-7913
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/216444
identifier_str_mv Mayorga, Luis Segundo; López, María José; Becker, Wayne M.; Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes; American Society for Cell Biology; Cbeâ—life Sciences Education; 11; 1; 1-2012; 31-38
1931-7913
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.11-07-0053
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1187/cbe.11-07-0053
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv American Society for Cell Biology
publisher.none.fl_str_mv American Society for Cell Biology
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
_version_ 1847427495461126144
score 13.10058

Publicaciones similares