Interconversion

Interconversion is the reversible transformation of something from one form to another. It applies across disciplines to chemical species, physical states, energy forms, and even information. The key feature is that the forms can be interchanged under suitable conditions, often with an equilibrium between forms and with a measurable rate of conversion determined by activation barriers and temperature.

In chemistry, interconversion describes processes that convert one chemical species into another and back, without permanent change in composition in cases such as isomerization and tautomerization. Examples include cis–trans isomerization around double bonds, conformational changes in flexible molecules like cyclohexane ring flips, and keto–enol tautomerism. These processes may reach thermodynamic equilibrium and are influenced by factors such as solvent, light, pH, and catalysts.

In biology and materials science, interconversion underlies function and material behavior. Proteins can switch between active and inactive conformations; allosteric regulation depends on interconversion between states; minerals can transform between polymorphs under changing pressure or temperature. The rates of these interconversions affect pathways and regulation.

In energy and physics, interconversion describes transformations among energy forms, such as potential, kinetic, chemical, electrical, and thermal energy. Examples include a falling object exchanging potential and kinetic energy, photosynthesis converting light energy to chemical energy, and batteries converting chemical energy to electrical energy. All interconversions follow conservation of energy and are subject to losses from irreversibility.