The term used to describe all of the chemical reactions inside a cell is metabolism. Throughout earth’s history, microbial metabolism has been a driving force behind the development and maintenance of...The term used to describe all of the chemical reactions inside a cell is metabolism. Throughout earth’s history, microbial metabolism has been a driving force behind the development and maintenance of the planet’s biosphere. Prokaryotes can metabolize a wide range of organic as well as inorganic matter, from complex organic molecules like cellulose to inorganic molecules and ions. By metabolizing such substances, microbes chemically convert them to other forms.