Enzymes Flashcards
What is trypsin?
An enzyme that breaks down proteins into amino acids
What is catalase?
An enzyme produced by our liver to break down the toxic chemical hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen
Where are enzymes found?
In living organisms (e.g. a bush, dog or human)
What do enzymes do?
Help reactions to work faster/better
What is an enzyme?
An enzyme is a protein that speeds up chemical reactions in the body by lowering the energy needed for the reaction to occur
How can we explain how enzymes work using the lock and key model?
Specific Fit: An enzyme is like a lock, and its substrate (the molecule it acts on) is like a key. Only the right key can fit into the lock.
Binding: When the right substrate comes along, it fits perfectly into the enzyme’s active site, like a key turning in a lock.
Reaction: Once the substrate is in place, the enzyme helps change it into products more easily.
Release: After the reaction, the products are released, and the enzyme can work on another substrate.
Which factors impact the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions?
Substrate Concentration: As substrate levels increase, the rate of reaction generally increases until the enzyme is saturated. Beyond that point, adding more substrate doesn’t increase the rate.
Enzyme Concentration: More enzymes can increase the rate of reaction, assuming there’s enough substrate available for them to act on.
Temperature: Each enzyme has an optimal temperature range. Higher temperatures can speed up reactions but may denature the enzyme if too high, while lower temperatures can slow down the reaction.
pH: Enzymes work best at specific pH levels. Extreme pH levels can denature enzymes or reduce their activity.
How could experiments be used to investigate the factors that impact the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions?
Varying Substrate Concentration: You can set up experiments where you change the amount of substrate while keeping the enzyme amount constant. Measure the rate of reaction (like how much product is formed in a set time) to see how it affects enzyme activity.
Varying Enzyme Concentration: By changing the amount of enzyme while keeping the substrate constant, you can observe how increasing enzyme concentration impacts the reaction rate.
Temperature Tests: Conduct experiments at different temperatures to find out at which temperature the enzyme works best. Measure the reaction rate at each temperature.
pH Experiments: Test the enzyme activity at various pH levels. Prepare buffers to maintain different pH values and measure how well the enzyme performs in each condition.
How can we explain the increases or decreases in the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions using the key terms kinetic energy, optimum and denature?
Increases in kinetic energy up to the optimum enhance reaction rates, while conditions beyond the optimum can denature the enzyme, slowing down or stopping the reaction.
How can we explain the increases or decreases in the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions using the key terms kinetic energy, optimum and denature?
Increases in kinetic energy up to the optimum enhance reaction rates, while conditions beyond the optimum can denature the enzyme, slowing down or stopping the reaction.
