Autocatalytic Reaction
Autocatalytic reactions are chemical reactions in which at least one of the reactants is also a product. The rate equations for autocatalytic reactions are fundamentally nonlinear. This nonlinearity can lead to the spontaneous generation of order. A dramatic example of this order is that which is found in living systems. This spontaneous order creation seems to contradict the Second Law of Thermodynamics. This contradiction is resolved when the disorder of both the system and its surroundings are taken into account.
Read more about Autocatalytic Reaction: Background, Chemical Reactions, Biological Example, Phase Transitions
Famous quotes containing the word reaction:
“The excessive increase of anything often causes a reaction in the opposite direction.”
—Plato (c. 427–347 B.C.)