BiOTic State of Energy 103 



K4reC6N6+K2S04; that a definite amount of lumic energy 

 will cause union of binary or more complex bodies, as when 

 mercuric chloride acts on ammonium oxalate to form ammonium 

 chloride, according to the formula: 2HgCl2+(NH4)2C204 = 

 2NH4Cl+2C02+2HgCl, we obtain a faint notion of the amount 

 of energy required to combine even the simpler ternary organic 

 bodies, such as sugar or starch. 



For the formation of the complex protein constituents of 

 protoplasm, necessarily an enormously greater absorption of 

 energy must be effected. Now, whether it be the cell of a 

 cyanophyceous alga or the protoplasm of a human gland-cell, 

 the energy needed to build up additional protein or protoplasm 

 from simpler foods must be great. 



An approximate estimate of the energy absorbed by an 

 organism in order to continue its life processes is got, if we 

 compare first the number of heat-units or calories needed to 

 combine some simple inorganic bodies. Thus in the formation 

 of hydriodic acid (2HI) from two atoms of hydrogen (Hg) and 

 two of iodine (I2) 12,200 calories are absorbed. The heat of 

 formation of anhydrous zinc sulphate (ZnS04) from zinc (Zn), 

 sulphur (S), and oxygen (O ) is 14,637 units. In striking 

 contrast to these is the typical simple organic substance cane 

 sugar (C12H22O11) which is represented by 1,354,000 calories. 

 For an amide or proteid, therefore, composed of four to six 

 elements in complex combination, the number of calories would 

 be greatly increased. Reference to page 76 will illustrate 

 this. 



Now, in the autotrophic nutrition of the sulphur and allied 

 bacteria, the continued existence of the cell, and its continued 

 multiplication, are dependent on energy obtained from a chem- 

 ical source. But chemical energy as such could not explain 

 the linking together of all the protoplasmic constituents needed 

 for continued life and multiplication of the cell, for in the process 

 an amount of heat would be evolved that would char the 

 already existing protoplasm. But if we accept that the chem- 

 ical energy is gradually changed into a much more perfect biotic 

 energy, which during condensation and accunuilation is ab- 



