Biosc 1000

Answers to Sample Problems Lecture 2

1. Calculate the equilibrium constant for the reaction:

Glucose-1-phosphate + H2O glucose + H2PO4

At pH = 7.0 and 25C (G = 20.9 kJ/mol)

c = RT ln Keq
So G/RT = ln Keq or e ( G /RT) = Keq

G/RT = (20.9 X 103J/mol)/(8.3 14 J/mol K)(298K)

= (20.9 X 103J/mol)/(2.48 X 103)= 8.43

e8.45 = 4.6 x 103

2. For the reaction of A B at 298K, the change in enthalpy is -7 kJ/mol and the
change in entropy is -25 J/mol K. Is this reaction spontaneous? If not, should the
temperature be increased or decreased to make the reaction spontaneous?

G = HTS H = 7,000 J/mol and S = 25 J/mol K
= (7,000 J/mol) (298K)( 25 J/mol K)
= (7,000 J/mol) (7, 450 J/mol) = 450 J/mol

The reaction is not spontaneous at 298 K (25C), the temperature needs to be
decreased
If decreased to 5C (278 K);

G = (7,000 J/mol) (278K)( 25 J/mol K)= (7,000 J/mol) (
6,950J/mol)= 50 J/mol.

3. Two biochemical reactions have the same Keq = 5x 108 at temperature T1 = 298K.
However, reaction 1 has H = 28 J/mol and Reaction 2 has H = +28 J/mol. The
two reactions use the same reactants. Your lab partner has proposed that you can
get more of the reactants to proceed via reaction 2 rather than reaction 1 by
lowering the temperature of the reaction. Will this strategy work?

A favorable reaction should release heat (-) and increase disorder (+S), so
how does temperature play a role in creating a favorable reaction?

G = H - TS 0
H TS

Lowering the temperature would favor a reaction with a negative H, reaction
1 in this case, not reaction 2. If the S of reaction 2 is also positive, raising the
temperature would make the reaction more favorable.