Certificate of Achievement
has completed the following course:
Understanding Biological Energy
Royal Holloway, University of London
This online course explored the concept of energy and how living things acquire and convert it. The broad range of topics covered included how biological energy is stored and released in fossil fuels, and what advances in agriculture mean for feeding the world’s growing population. Learners considered ways in which science can reduce humankind’s reliance on fossil fuels, how we might learn from plants to provide energy in the future and how energy overload is threatening our bodies' today.
4 weeks, 3 hours per week
Dr James McEvoy
Senior Lecturer in Biological Chemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
Transcript
Learning outcomes
- Describe what energy is and how concepts of energy, enthalpy and entropy were developed
- Summarise how humans obtain, convert and store energy
- Describe oxygenic photosynthesis and its ecological significance
- Compare biologically-derived energy sources, both renewable and non-renewable
Syllabus
- Introduction to energy: How living things use energy; A brief history of thermodynamics; Enthalpy, entropy and free energy
- Human energy: Humans as chemotrophs; Chemical energy from food; Mitochondria; ion gradients and ATP
- Photosynthesis: Green plants and autotrophic bacteria; Solar energy to food; Oxygenation and evolution
- Industrial energy: Fossil fuels; Biomass; Artificial photosynthesis
Issued on 15th October 2021
The person named on this certificate has completed the activities in the transcript above. For more information about Certificates of Achievement and the effort required to become eligible, visit futurelearn.com/proof-of-learning/certificate-of-achievement.
This certificate represents proof of learning. It is not a formal qualification, degree, or part of a degree.