Enzymes Flashcards
what are enzymes?
enzymes are biological catalysts
what is the definition of a catalyst
a catalyst is a substance which increases the speed of a reavtion without being changed or used up in the reaction
what two things effect enzyme activity?
temperature (too hot and the bonds holding the enzyme together break. too cold and they work too slow) and pH level (normally pH 7)
what is a substrate?
a molecule that is changed in a reaction
true or false: Enzymes usually only speed up one reaction
True: they have activity sites where reactions are sped up, and only the correct substrates can fit in
what do enzymes do?
enzymes speed up reactions
why do we have enzymes?
to speed up useful chemical reactions in our body called metabolic reactions
what is a lock and key model?
a lock and key model is a model used to show how enzymes work
