Biology and Thermodynamics: Seemingly-Opposite Phenomena in Search of a Unified Paradigm

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dc.creatorDolev, Shahar
dc.creatorElitzur, Avshalom C.
dc.date2000-12-16
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T05:45:10Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T05:45:10Z
dc.descriptionIt is probably not a coincidence that two of the pioneers of thermodynamics, Helmholtz and Mayer, were physicians. Thermodynamics studies the transformations of energy, and such transformations ceaselessly take place in all living systems (probably with important differences between the states of health and disease). Moreover, thermodynamics studies the elusive notions of order and disorder, which are also, respectively, the very hallmarks of life and death. These similarities suggest that thermodynamics might provide a unifying paradigm for many life sciences, explaining the multitude of life's manifestations on the basis of a few basic physical principles. In this article we introduce some basic thermodynamic concepts and point out their usefulness for the biologist and the physician. We hope to show that thermodynamics enables looking at the riddles of life from a new perspective and asking some new fruitful questions.
dc.description16 pages, 4 figures
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0012036
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0012036
dc.identifierThe Einstein Quarterly: Journal of Biology and Medicine, 15 (1998), pp. 24-33
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/83905
dc.subjectBiological Physics
dc.subjectQuantitative Biology
dc.titleBiology and Thermodynamics: Seemingly-Opposite Phenomena in Search of a Unified Paradigm
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