Metabolism encompasses all the processes that allow a cell to:
* Obtain and use energy (like breaking down food and converting it to ATP)
* Build and break down molecules (like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids)
* Maintain its internal environment (like regulating temperature and pH)
* Respond to its surroundings (like responding to signals from other cells or changes in the environment)
* Grow and reproduce (like replicating its DNA and dividing into new cells)
In essence, metabolism is the engine that drives life within a cell.
