Читать книгу The Handy Chemistry Answer Book - Justin P. Lomont - Страница 25

When we say a reaction takes one minute, what we’re really saying is that a certain fraction (specifically that fraction is 1-1/e, or about 63%) of the reactant molecules have gone on to form products after one minute has passed (e refers to the irrational number e = 2.7182818…). If we say a reaction takes one year, or any other amount of time, we’re also referring to that same fraction of reactants becoming products. It’s not that 100% of the reactants have become products, but rather just a certain fraction.

Why are chemical reactions important in biological systems?

Chemical reactions make everything in your body work! This is true in all living things (plants, animals, insects, bacteria, etc.). Anytime you make even a slight movement, lots of chemical reactions have to take place. Digesting food, building up or breaking down fat, breathing, cell reproduction, or pretty much any other process that happens in your body involves lots of chemical reactions. Chemistry isn’t only important in the lab, it’s essential to everything related to life!