Honor Bio 7.2 Flashcards
What is an enzyme?
A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy.
What is a substrate?
The specific reactant that an enzyme binds to and acts upon in a chemical reaction.
What is an active site?
The region on an enzyme where the substrate binds and the reaction takes place.
What is activation energy?
The minimum amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to occur.
What are the key properties of enzymes?
Lowers activation energy, affected by pH and temp., reusable.
What happens to reaction rate as substrate concentration increases?
The reaction rate increases until all enzyme active sites are occupied (saturation point), then it levels off.
What happens to reaction rate as enzyme concentration increases?
The reaction rate increases proportionally, as long as there is excess substrate available.
How does temperature affect enzyme activity?
Low temperatures slow down the reaction.
Optimal temperature increases reaction speed.
High temperatures can denature enzymes, decreasing activity.
How does pH affect enzyme activity?
Each enzyme has an optimal pH. Deviating too much from this pH can denature the enzyme, reducing its activity.
