Enzyme Structure And Function

Question 1

Catalyst

Answer 1

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.

Question 2

Enzyme

Answer 2

An enzyme is a biological catalyst and is almost always a protein. It speeds up the rate of a specific chemical reaction in the cell. The enzyme is not destroyed during the reaction and is used over and over

Question 3

What are the 2 main properties of enzymes?

Answer 3

1. They increase the rate of chemical reactions without themselves being consumed or permanently altered by the reaction.
2. They increase reaction rates without altering the chemical equilibrium between reactants and products.

Question 4

Explain why enzymes are specific and are denatured by high temperatures and extremes of pH

Answer 4

Higher temperatures disrupt the shape of the active site, which will reduce its activity, or prevent it from working

Question 5

Use the lock and key theory to explain enzyme action

Answer 5

Enzymes can be thought of as locks, and their specific substrates as keys. Just as a lock can only be opened by a specific key, an enzyme can only bind to and catalyze a specific substrate. This is referred to as the lock and key theory.