🚀 go-pugleaf

Christopher Carrell (cjc@pandora.bio.purdue.edu) wrote:

: Your conclusion is correct, but I have to nitpick about the definition of equilibrium.
: The equilibrium constant of some reaction is equal to the ratio of the forward
: rate and the reverse rate of that reaction. If forward and backward rates are
: equal, the equilibrium constant is 1. In which case, we'd never talk about

Nonono, you're talking about the constant K = [A].[B]...[C]/{ [D].[E]...[F] }
But the previous poster was absolutely correct in implying that if 3 molecules
of A are formed, 3 molecules of A have to be consumed somewhere else, or otherwise,
the total amount of A wouldn't stay constant.

: _not_ in a state of equilibrium, but they can't get too far from it, either.

On the contrary.  Living systems are VERY FAR from equilibrium.

cheers,
Patrick.

--
Patrick Van Esch
mail:   vanesch@dice2.desy.de
for PGP public key: finger vanesch@dice2.desy.de