3.1 Proteins, catalysts and enzymes

Question 1

What functions do proteins carry out in the body.

Answer 1

Structural components such as muscles and tendons.
Hormones such as insulin.
Antibodies, which destroy pathogens.
Catalysts in the form of enzymes

Question 2

What are enzymes

Answer 2

Biological catalysts that speed up reactions.
Enzymes are large protein molecules. The long chains of amino acids are folded to produce a molecule with a specific shape.

This special shape allows other molecules (substrates) to fit into the enzyme protein. This is called the active site. The shape of an enzyme depicts its function.

Question 3

What is used to speed up a chemical reaction

Answer 3

A catalyst

Question 4

What controls chemical reaction rates in the body

Answer 4

Enzymes which are Biological catalysts that speed up reactions.

Question 5

What are enzymes involved in.

Answer 5

Building large molecules fro, lots of smaller ones
Changing the molecule into another
Breaking down large molecules into smaller ones (digestion)

Question 6

What are protein molecules made up of.

Answer 6

Long chains of amino acids, different arrangements of amino acids give you different proteins.

Question 7

Explain why enzymes are reusable

Answer 7

Enzymes do not change a reaction in any way, they just make it happen faster.

They are not used up in a reaction, you can use a catalyst over and over again.

Question 8

What is a substrate

Answer 8

The substrate (reactant) of the reaction fits into the active site of the enzyme, once in place the enzyme and the substrate bind together.

The reaction then takes place rapidly and the products are released from the surface of the enzyme.

Extra info: Enzymes can join small molecules together as well as break up larger ones

Question 9

What produces enzymes used for industry

Answer 9

Microorganisms