Final answer:
Metabolism refers to all the chemical operations in the body, encompassing anabolic and catabolic reactions which build up and break down molecules, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that refers to all the chemical operations underway in the body is metabolism. Metabolism encompasses both anabolic and catabolic reactions. Anabolic reactions are those that use energy to build larger molecules from smaller ones, such as the synthesis of proteins from amino acids. On the other hand, catabolic reactions involve breaking down molecules to release energy. These two types of reactions occur simultaneously and are essential for maintaining life.
To give a more specific example of these processes, anabolic reactions would be considered biosynthetic because they synthesize new compounds, which require energy - characterizing them as endergonic. Catabolic reactions, such as cellular respiration, are exergonic because they release energy by breaking down compounds. Thus, metabolism, being a combination of these processes, is a dynamic system of energy transformation and molecule construction within the body.