| A biological catalyst that accelerates chemical reactions in living organisms by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur. | Enzyme |
| What is the function of an enzyme in a chemical reaction? | An enzyme speeds up a reaction by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed, without being consumed or permanently altered in the process. |
| Substances, such as enzymes, that facilitate chemical reactions within living organisms by increasing the rate of reaction without being consumed themselves. | Biological Catalyst |
| How do enzymes contribute to digestion? | Digestive enzymes aid in breaking down large food molecules into smaller, soluble molecules, facilitating their absorption into the bloodstream for energy and nutrient utilization. |
| The energy required to initiate a chemical reaction and enable the formation of products from reactants, which is reduced in the presence of enzymes. | Activation Energy |
| What distinguishes enzymes from other catalysts? | Enzymes are specific to particular reactions and biological processes, and they operate under mild conditions of temperature and pH, unlike many chemical catalysts. |
| The specific molecule upon which an enzyme acts, binding to the enzyme's active site during a chemical reaction. | Substrate |
| What happens to enzymes after catalyzing a reaction? | Enzymes remain unchanged and are available to catalyze subsequent reactions, as they are not consumed or altered during the reaction process. |
| The characteristic of an enzyme to catalyze only one specific reaction or a limited set of closely related reactions due to the precise shape of its active site. | Enzyme Specificity |
| What is enzyme specificity? | Enzyme specificity refers to the ability of an enzyme to catalyze a particular reaction or a narrow range of similar reactions due to the specific shape of its active site. |
| The region on the surface of an enzyme where the substrate binds and undergoes a chemical reaction, leading to the formation of products. | Active Site |
| What determines the specificity of an enzyme for its substrate? | The specific arrangement of atoms and functional groups in the active site of an enzyme determines its compatibility with a particular substrate, allowing only substrates with complementary shapes to bind and react. |
| The specific molecule or molecules upon which an enzyme acts, binding to the enzyme's active site during a chemical reaction to undergo catalysis. | Substrate |
| How does enzyme specificity contribute to biochemical processes? | Enzyme specificity ensures that biochemical reactions proceed in a highly regulated and controlled manner, allowing for efficient synthesis, breakdown, and modification of molecules essential for cellular function. |
| A model describing the interaction between an enzyme and its substrate, where the active site of the enzyme is precisely complementary in shape to the substrate, analogous to a key fitting into a lock. | Lock-and-Key Model |
| Describe the lock-and-key model of enzyme-substrate interaction. | In the lock-and-key model, the active site of an enzyme has a specific shape that matches that of its substrate, allowing the substrate to bind snugly like a key fitting into a lock, facilitating the catalytic reaction. |
| Denaturation refers to the structural change in a protein, such as an enzyme, resulting in the loss of its biological properties, caused by factors such as temperature, pH, or chemical agents. | Denaturation |
| What happens to the shape of an enzyme's active site when it becomes denatured? | When an enzyme becomes denatured, the shape of its active site changes, making it unable to properly bind with its substrate. |
| The region of an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction. | Active Site |
| What determines the specificity of enzyme-substrate interactions? | The specificity of enzyme-substrate interactions is determined by the complementary shapes of the enzyme's active site and the substrate molecule. |
| A substance or molecule that binds to the active site of an enzyme and undergoes a chemical reaction. | Substrate |
| How does denaturation affect the ability of an enzyme to catalyse reactions? | Denaturation disrupts the structure of an enzyme, including its active site, preventing proper binding with substrates and inhibiting its catalytic activity. |
| To catalyse means to accelerate a chemical reaction by providing an alternative pathway with lower activation energy, facilitated by an enzyme. | Catalyse |
| What environmental factors can lead to the denaturation of enzymes? | Factors such as high temperature, extremes of pH, or exposure to certain chemicals can lead to the denaturation of enzymes. |
| A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, indicating the concentration of hydrogen ions present. | pH |
| How does pH affect enzyme activity and denaturation? | Enzymes have optimal pH ranges at which they function most effectively. Deviation from this pH range can disrupt the enzyme's structure, leading to denaturation and loss of activity. |
| A measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance, affecting the rate of chemical reactions and enzyme activity. | Temperature |
| Why is maintaining optimal temperature and pH important in biological systems involving enzymes? | Maintaining optimal temperature and pH is important to preserve the structure and function of enzymes, ensuring efficient catalysis of biochemical reactions in biological systems. |
