Standard 18.11_Explain the role of enzymes as catalysts that lower the activation energy of biochemical reactions. Identify factors, such as pH and temperature, and their effect on enzyme activity.
Everything that happens in a cell such as growth, reproduction, digestion, interaction with the environment, response to stimuli, etc. is the result of a chemical reaction.
- A chemical reaction is a change in the arrangement of atoms or molecules that yields different substances. So it involves breaking bonds, and forming new bonds.
- A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed by the reaction.
- An enzyme is a protein that is a biochemical catalyst. Note that ALL enzymes are proteins, BUT not all proteins are enzymes.
So...for chemical reactions to happen:
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So, how do enzymes work?
Enzymes require specific environmental conditions to be able to work:
To summarize:
Enzymes:
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Tutorial: How enzymes work (Florida Students website)