Question

Considering your answers to exercise 148 and 149, how can you justify the existence of proteins and nucleic acids in light of the second law of thermodynamics?

Short answer

The positive change of entropy in the universe, in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics.

Step-by-step solution

To justify the existence of proteins and nucleic acid

To be able to answer the question, first we must know the second law of thermodynamics which is that the entropy in an isolated system will always increase over time, and that it is always positive.

The existence of proteins and nucleic acid start with its contribution to be able to form living organisms. These are the energy sources to perform the functions inside the cell. Since the cell is not an isolated system, there is an external system that drives all the reactions.

Likewise, living organisms which are composed of the proteins and nucleic acids create a chain of gaining energy from each other which in combination.

Hence, there is positive change of entropy in the universe, in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics.