Decreasing Entropy in Cells: How Reactions Forming Larger Structures Play a crucial Role in Reducing Disorder

Which of the following types of reactions would decrease the entropy within a cell?

anabolic reactions

A reaction that involves the formation of larger molecules or structures from smaller molecules or structures would decrease the entropy within a cell. This is because entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness, and the formation of larger, more organized structures is associated with a decrease in disorder.

Examples of such reactions could include the condensation of monomers to form polymers, the assembly of proteins or nucleic acids from their constituent subunits, or the formation of a membrane from individual phospholipids.

In contrast, reactions that involve the breakdown of larger molecules into smaller ones or the release of energy (such as through the hydrolysis of ATP) are generally associated with an increase in entropy, as they tend to increase the randomness and disorder of the system.

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