BIO.A.2 The Chemical Basis for Life
Topic Summary for Enzymes:
Everything that happens in an organism is based on chemical reactions. A chemical reaction is a process that changes one set of chemicals into another set of chemicals.
The elements or compounds that enter into the reaction are the reactants.
The elements or compounds produced by the reaction are the products.
Chemical reactions involve changes in the chemical bonds that join atoms in compounds.
Some chemical reactions release energy; others absorb energy.
Chemical reactions that release energy often occur on their own.
Chemical reactions that absorb energy require a source of energy. The energy needed to get a reaction started is called the activation energy.
An enzyme is a protein that acts as biological catalyst. A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction. Catalysts work by lowering a reaction’s activation energy.
In an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, the reactants are known as substrates. Substrates bind to a part of an enzyme called the active site and remain bound to the enzyme until the reaction is complete, when the products are released.
Temperature, pH, and regulatory molecules can affect the activity of enzymes.
Topic Summary for Enzymes:
Everything that happens in an organism is based on chemical reactions. A chemical reaction is a process that changes one set of chemicals into another set of chemicals.
The elements or compounds that enter into the reaction are the reactants.
The elements or compounds produced by the reaction are the products.
Chemical reactions involve changes in the chemical bonds that join atoms in compounds.
Some chemical reactions release energy; others absorb energy.
Chemical reactions that release energy often occur on their own.
Chemical reactions that absorb energy require a source of energy. The energy needed to get a reaction started is called the activation energy.
An enzyme is a protein that acts as biological catalyst. A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction. Catalysts work by lowering a reaction’s activation energy.
In an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, the reactants are known as substrates. Substrates bind to a part of an enzyme called the active site and remain bound to the enzyme until the reaction is complete, when the products are released.
Temperature, pH, and regulatory molecules can affect the activity of enzymes.