Enzymes Flashcards
Recall the definition of a catalyst
A chemical compounds that increase the rate of a reaction by lowering the activation energy required to reach the transition state
Recall that enzymes are a type of protein
An act upon substrate molecules and decrease the activation energy necessary for a chemical reaction to occur by stabilizing the transition state
Describe the importance of an enzyme’s shape to its activity as a catalyst
It has a direct effect on how it catalyzes a reaction
Define the terms ‘active site’ and ‘substrate’
A substrate is a chemical compound which acts as the reactant of a chemical reaction. The active site of an enzyme is the region where a substrate binds with the enzyme before it undergoes a chemical reaction