All rights reserved. Terms of use. Â¨ 37 11 Thermodynamics andThermochemistry Thermodynamics is the study of heat, and how heat can be interconverted into other energyforms. In thermodynamics the system is a specific part of the universe that is being studied,often the system is a chemical reaction. The surroundings are all parts of the universe that arenot the system, typically everything outside the test tube.Â¥ An open system can exchange both energy and matter with its surroundings.
Pepsin splits proteins into water-soluble fragments called peptones. Although this ordinarily occurs in the stomach, it can be duplicated in a large reaction vessel on a commercial basis. Partial digestion by pepsin can be used in food applicationsâfor instance, in the processing of soy protein and gelatin.
Pepsin is synthesized in an inactive form by the stomach lining; hydrochloric acid, also produced by the gastric mucosa, is necessary to convert the inactive enzyme and to maintain the optimum acidity ( pH 1-3) for pepsin function.