See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/303994351

Biological Thermodynamics: A Review

Conference Paper · December 2015

CITATIONS READS
0 2,211

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Cold model study of the hydro-dynamic parameters of a Re-circulating fluidized bed View project

Influence of iso-butene kinetics on the reactivity of di-isobutylene View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Nitin Lokachari on 16 June 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 BIOLOGICAL THERMODYNAMICS: A REVIEW
Nitin Krishna Sai L1,G a r i m a V e r m a 1, A m r i t a P r e e t a m1 a n d A r v i nd K S ha r m a *

1 of
* of

AIM : 1. To review the evolution of life on the Earth, initial low entropy state of the universe and the WORK DONE BY HEART:
origin of structures .
2. The human heart (Biological system) is considered for the study on which the thermodynamic
approach is used to generalize a relation between oxygen consumption and cardiac output.

INTRODUCTION:
1. Universe started in a low entropy state and didn’t reach equilibrium yet and the low initial entropy
was due to the low gravitational entropy of uniformly distributed matter.
2. There is general agreement that life on earth depends on the non equilibrium of the universe and
requires free energy to live and life always dissipates energy and creates entropy in order to maintain
its structure.

SOURCE OF EARTH’S FREE ENERGY—SUN

 Assuming that the earth is in steady state but not in equilibrium,
(Fig.3)

 From the definition of entropy, dSa,in = dQin / Tsun and dSa,out = Qout / Tearth
HEART
Heart EFFICIENCY
efficiency : :
 The heart can be viewed as a thermodynamic engine that transforms part of the expended power P into
The heart can bepower
viewed
external Wfas. a thermodynamic engine that transforms part of the expended power P into
external power Wf
above equation shows that the earth exports about 20 times entropy it receives from the sun and  According to 1st law,
this decrease is compensated by the dissipative structures on the earth.

 Similarly for free-energy,  Average amount of blood flow (volume) per unit time

 The net entropy flux of absorption of incoming solar photon and emission of  The energy released in metabolic reactions, for a typical diet, is E=5.0 kcal/(liter of O 2)
then Q changes to,
infrared photons from the earth can be expressed as

Where r is the efficiency index [r = cη]

 Similarly for free-energy, CARDIAC RESPONSE OUTPUT TO EXERCISE :

 Exercise can be referred to as a vigorous work done continuously by the muscles. Exercise more than
any other work taxes the regulatory ability of the cardiovascular system.
 By equating similar terms,

 Cardiac Index I is defined as :

 Thus, 95% of solar energy can be used to do work.

(Fig.4)

(Fig.1)
CONCLUSION:

THERMODYNAMICS OF HEART:  Our existence depends upon second law dS ≥ 0, so life to sustain any Universe should start at low
entropy not high as life and other dissipative structures need gradients to survive and hence the Earth is
 The heart rate (heart beats per not in equilibrium.
minute) is related to the cardiac
output (volume of blood pumped by
 From first law, energy is conserved and hence ΔU = 0 and free energy is equal to free energy available
the heart per unit time) and the to do work( -TΔS) and as long as ΔS ≥ 0, free energy will be flowing and life is possible. If either of T
respiratory rate (rate of oxygen or ΔS tends to zero, ΔF also tends to zero and hence it is impossible to survive.
consumption).
 Relation between heart’s beat rate and rate of oxygen consumption is linear that means as we do more
work we will take in more amount of oxygen to supply enough energy, simultaneously ATP produc-
tion also should take place at same pace and hence more oxygen is required.

 The rate of oxygen consumption by REFERENCES:

the heart, 1. Charles H. Lineweaver, Chas A. Egan, Life, Gravity and the Second law of Thermodynamics,
Physics of Life Reviews (2008), 225-242.
2. Uehara, Mituo and Sakane, Kumiko Koibuchi, Thermodynamics of the Heart, www.intech.com
ΩH = [Ω * c] 3. W.A.Cramer and G.M.Soriano, Thermodynamics of Energy Transduction in Biological Mem-
brane, Chapter one, BTOL-Bio-Energetics (2002).
4. Kleidon A. Global Energy Balance. In: Jorgensen S, Editor. Encyclopedia of Ecology Elsevier;
 The energy consumed by the heart, 5.
2008.
Donald T. Haynie, Biological Thermodynamics, Second Edition, Cambridge University press.
6. Roger Penrose, The Road to Reality, First Edition, Jonathan Cape London.
7. Blick, E. F. & Stein, P. D., Work of the Heart: A general Thermodynamic Analysis, Journal of
P = [E * c * Ω ] Biomechanics, Vol. 10, No. 9, (Sept 1977) 589-595, ISSN 0021-9290.
(Fig.2) 8. Acierno, L. J., Adolf Fick, Mathematician, Physicist, Physiologist. Clinical Cardiology, Vol. 23,

View publication stats