THE DEPENDENCE OF THERMODYNAMICS AND ENTROPY ON THE ORGANISM AND THE UNIVERSE

Abstract

When we reflect on thermodynamics and entropy, the first question that arises for us is: “What kind of system are we? Open or closed?” In general this is a question of physics. Like all living beings, we too are considered an open system, because we exchange matter and energy with the environment. For example, we take in chemical energy in the form of food and perform such actions as moving, speaking, breathing and walking. Or the metabolic reactions that take place in our body, and so on. In order to describe the examples given above, we shall consider two physical laws - the first and the second laws of thermodynamics - and find out what significance they have for biological systems.