Understanding Biological Energy

Discover applications of biological energy, from human energy to photosynthesis

On this course, you’ll learn what energy actually is and how living things acquire and convert it.

You’ll find out how biological energy is stored and released in fossil fuels and what advances in agriculture mean for feeding the world’s growing population.

As you explore biological energy in industry, you’ll consider the ways science can help us to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels as well as ways we might use and learn from plants to provide energy in the future.

You’ll also discover the concept of ‘energy overload’ and how it is threatening our bodies’ energy balance today.

This course is designed for young learners who have studied at least GCSE science (chemistry, biology, or physics) and are interested in pursuing the connections between these subjects.

It will be of particular interest to those looking to study the life sciences at university level.

The course is also suitable for those who are simply interested in how living things store and use energy.

• What is energy?
• Welcome
• Mechanical Energy
• Chemical Energy
• Useful work
• How do humans obtain energy, and what do we do with it?
• Glycolysis
• Mitochondria
• Using Energy
• Storing Energy
• How do green plants get energy, and how do we use them for food?
• The Light Reactions
• The Dark Reactions
• Food
• Fossil Fuels
• How does our economy use bioenergy, and how may this change?
• Industrial Energy
• Bioenergy
• The Future of Industrial Biological Energy