Biochemistry: Enzymes and Activation Energy

Question 1

What is energy?

Answer 1

• Without energy, you do not function.
• Energy comes from the sun. We now know that some organisms can use chemosynthesis to convert energy in the absence of sunlight.
• Energy is the ability to cause matter to move or change.
• All life processes are driven by energy

Question 2

What are reactants?

Answer 2

a substance that takes part in and undergoes change during a reaction, results in the product

Question 3

The sum of all chemical reactions in your body is known as..

Answer 3

Metabolism

Question 4

What is activation energy?

Answer 4

energy required to get a reaction started

Question 5

What does a catalyst do?

Answer 5

lowers the activation energy (speeds up process)

Question 6

What are examples of catalysts?

Answer 6

Organic catalysts:
- enzymes (catalase, peroxidase, maltase, amylase) As a general rule organic catalysis’ end in “ase”
Inorganic catalysts:
- manganese dioxide
- potassium Iodid
- light
- the materials used for catalytic converters in cars

Question 7

What are substrates?

Answer 7

a reactant in a chemical reaction is called a substrate when acted upon by an enzyme

Question 8

Are enzymes used up (can not be reused) in the reaction?

Answer 8

enzymes are not used up in the reaction and are neither the reactant nor the product..

Question 9

What affects enzymes?

Answer 9

• Temperature: all enzymes have an optimal temp they work best at
• pH: acidity/alkalinity can increase or decrease the function of an enzyme
• Concentration: Increasing the concentration of the enzyme can increase the rate of the chemical reaction

Question 10

How do ATP store energy?

Answer 10

energy is released as a phosphate is broken off; as energy is stored, a phosphate is added.