Thermodynamics

Code:

EBE0006

Acronym:

TERM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Engineering Sciences

Instance: 2012/2013 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Bioengineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIB	83	Syllabus	1	-	5	42	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

This course unit aims to develop students’ skills in handling a tool, which make them able, not only to understand the mechanisms through which a living cell flows, but also to make a thermodynamic analysis of industrial processes. It will be presented the physical concepts and principles of thermodynamics, mathematical and biological languages and the application of concepts to physical, chemical and biological processes. At the end of each chapter it will be presented case studies, so that students can apply concepts to real problems. Students should be capable of visualizing in an integrated way the processes of photosynthesis, nutrient metabolism and respiration. They should also understand that life depends on a carbon-oxygen cycle, which is finely regulated and in most cases initiated by solar energy. Students will be capable of calculating thermodynamic properties of fluids, making materials and energy balances of different types of systems and analysing industrial processes (potency and refrigeration cycles).

Learning outcomes and competences

This course unit aims to develop students’ skills in handling a tool, which make them able, not only to understand the mechanisms through which a living cell flows, but also to make a thermodynamic analysis of industrial processes. It will be presented the physical concepts and principles of thermodynamics, mathematical and biological languages and the application of concepts to physical, chemical and biological processes.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Introduction: scope of bioenergetics Physical concepts and principles, mathematical language, biochemical language Energy associated to chemical reactions and physical processes Conversion of energy into living systems: identification of biological cycles involved in an energy flow, which is constantly observed in a living cell 2. First principle of thermodynamics Definition of system and external environment; conventions Work and heat; molar heat capacity of pressure and constant volume Equations and state function Internal energy and enthalpy: definition, physical meaning and temperature dependence Thermodynamic standard state and biochemical standard state Physical transformation: measurement and calculation of the variation of associated enthalpy Chemical transformation (reaction): measurement and calculation of the variation of associated enthalpy Connection enthalpies: definition, measurement and its relation with the enthalpy of a chemical reaction 3. Second and Third Principles of Thermodynamics The spontaneity of physical and chemical processes: thermodynamic functions associated to its prediction Entropy and Gibbs function: definition, physical meaning and temperature dependence Molar Gibbs function: chemical potential The importance of Gibbs function in biology: energy vs. work and energy vs. molecular organisation Thermodynamic and kinetic points of view of physical and chemical processes Energy profile diagrams related to a reaction coordinate 4. Phase equilibria in biological processes Thermodynamics of a transition: phase transitions in biopolymers and aggregates; stability of nucleic acids and proteins; phase transitions in biological membranes Osmosis and dialysis; osmotic pressure of electrolyte solutions; osmotic pressure of biopolymer solutions, Donnan equilibrium 5. Chemical equilibrium Chemical equilibrium and Gibbs function Thermodynamic characterization of chemical equilibrium Variation of Gibbs function of a reaction with a system composition Response of a system in equilibrium to external conditions Thermodynamically coupled systems: concept and biological examples Proton transfer equilibrium Ligand transfer equilibrium 6. Thermodynamic processes of biological transport Transport of neutral and ionic species by biological membranes Thermodynamic description of ions in solution Passive transport vs. active transport; Facilitated transport: thermodynamic and kinetic description Processes of electronic transfer: Nernst equation and normal potentials Energy of respiratory chain and photosynthesis 7. Thermodynamic properties of fluids PVT diagram and its projections; State equations: virial equations and cubic equations; Notion of compressibility factor; Generalized correlations; Antoine equation; Enthalpy and entropy of phase change; Tables and diagrams of thermodynamic properties 8. Thermodynamic analysis of processes Calculation of work and heat; Balances of material and energy; Analysis of compressors and turbines; Thermal machines: Carnot cycle Carnot cycle refrigeration; Heat pumps

Mandatory literature

Çengel, Y.A.; Boles, M.A.; Termodinâmica, McGraw-Hill, 2001. ISBN: 972-773-097-3
Çengel, Y.A.; Boles, M.A.; Termodinâmica, McGraw-Hill, 2001. ISBN: 972-773-097-3
Smith, J.M.; Van Ness, H.C.; Abbott, M.M.; Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, McGraw-Hill, 2005. ISBN: 0-07-310445-0
D. L. Nelson and M.M.Cox; Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, W. H. Freeman and Company, 2005. ISBN: 0-7167-4339-6
Smith, J.M.; Van Ness, H.C.; Abbott, M.M.; Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, McGraw-Hill, 2005. ISBN: 0-07-310445-0
D. L. Nelson and M.M.Cox; Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, W. H. Freeman and Company, 2005. ISBN: 0-7167-4339-6
Raymond Chan; Physical Chemistry for the BioSciences, University Science Books, 2005. ISBN: 1-891389-33-5
D. L. Nelson and M.M.Cox; Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, W. H. Freeman and Company, 2005. ISBN: 0-7167-4339-6
P.W Atkins and Julio de paula; Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences , W H Freeman and Co, 2006. ISBN: ISBN-10: 0716786281

Teaching methods and learning activities

Presentation and discussion of concepts and its applications

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Exam	Exame	2,00	100,00
	Total:	-	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
Individual study	Estudo autónomo	135
	Total:	135,00

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Grade = 1 PT Final Grade will be based on the average grade of A1 and A2 or on t he grade reached in the final exam.

Classification improvement

Students have to attend an extra final exam to improve their grades