Biology meets geology through chemistry

摘要

In introductory chemistry and biology, students learn (tacitly) that the reconfiguration of electrons is why reactions occur and how life ekes out its existence. That is-electrons, given proper conditions, will associate among atomic nuclei of various types such that energy is minimized. Controlling when and how this occurs is the means to harnessing the energy that the system released upon electronic reconfiguration. Students begin to appreciate that "reaction", "activity", or "I concentrationl gradient" refer to sweeping movement of electrons and exchanges of potentially useful energy.