What forms of energy are involved in metabolism?
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "metabolism energy" to get these possible sources:
http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/5900verviewmet.html
http://ds9a.nl/metabolism/
http://staff.jccc.net/pdecell/metabolism/entrans.html
http://www.sysbio.org/resources/tutorials/2003series/metabolism.pdf
(Broken Link Removed)
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
In metabolism, there are two main forms of energy involved: potential energy and kinetic energy.
Potential energy is stored energy that can be used to do work. In the context of metabolism, potential energy is stored in the chemical bonds of molecules. The most common molecule involved in energy storage is adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which stores energy in its high-energy phosphate bonds. When these bonds are broken, the stored energy is released and can be used for cellular activities.
Kinetic energy, on the other hand, is the energy of motion. In metabolism, kinetic energy is associated with the movement of molecules and the transfer of energy between different forms. For example, when glucose is broken down during cellular respiration, the energy released is converted into kinetic energy in the form of ATP and heat.
To understand the specific energy transformations and processes involved in metabolism, it is useful to refer to reliable sources such as scientific articles, textbooks, or educational websites. The sources provided in the previous response are a good starting point to delve deeper into the topic.