THE FREE ENERGY OF BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES

Abstract

Any process in nature is accompanied by a transfer of energy. Part of this energy can be used for doing useful work; part of it is dissipated or rendered latent. Moreover, in the burning of a substance, such as coal, only a small percentage of the available energy is at present utilized; the bulk of it is lost in the form of heat. This immense loss of energy is no doubt due to the clumsiness of our technique and to the imperfection of the work engines now in common use. This leads us to inquire whether similar processes in living organisms are more effident. An investigation has therefore been undertaken to find the ratio of the energy supplied and the maximum work obtainable in life processes. As a suitable subject for this purpose, it was decided to study the fixation of nitrogen through the agency of microorganisms, such as Anotobacter.