2b.1 - Enzymes Flashcards
What are enzymes?
Catalysts produced by living things
What is a catalyst?
It is a substance which increases the speed of a reaction, without being changed or used up in the reaction
What is an enzyme made of?
Protein
What are proteins made up of?
Chains of amino acids
Other than catalysts, whet else does protein make up? (3)
- Structural componants of tissues, hormones and antibodies
What do chemical reactions usually involve?
Thing being joined together or split up
What conditions need to be right for enzymes to work? (2)
- The right temperature
- The right PH
Why do enzymes need to be the right temperature? (2)
- Increasing the temperature increases the rate of reaction at first
- But if it gets too hot it becomes denatured
What temperature do enzymes in the body work best at?
37C
Why do enzymes need to be kept at the right PH?
If the PH is too high or too low it will denature enzymes
What PH do enzymes work best at? (2)
- Usually 7 but not always
- Enzymes, like pepsin in the stomach, work best in acidic conditions
What does amylase do?
Converts starch into sugars
What does protease do?
Converts proteins into amino acids
What does lipase do?
Converts lipids into glycerol and fatty acids
Where is amylase made? (3)
- Salivary glands
- Pancreas
- Small intestine
Where is protease made? (3)
- The stomach (it’s called pepsin there)
- The pancreas
- The small intestine
Where is lipase made? (2)
- The pancreas
- The small intestine
What are lipids?
Fats and oils
What does bile do?
Neutralises the stomach acid and emulsifies fats
Where is bile produced?
The liver
Where is bile stored?
The gall bladder
Why is bile needed? (2)
- The hydrochloric acid in the stomach makes the stomach too acidic for the enzymes. Bile is an alkali so neutralises the acid
- It breaks fat into tiny droplets which give it a smaller surface area. This makes digestion faster
Why are the salivary glands a significant part of the digestive system?
Produce amylase
Why is the stomach a significant part of the digestive system? (3)
- Pummels the food with its muscular wals
- Produces pepsin
- Produces hydrochloric acid to kill bacteria and get the right PH (2)