Enzymes and Macromolecules

Front

What are enzymes?

Back

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms without being consumed in the process.

Front

What is the active site of an enzyme?

Back

The active site is the specific region of an enzyme where substrates bind and undergo a chemical reaction.

Front

What are substrates in enzyme reactions?

Back

Substrates are the reactants that enzymes act upon in a chemical reaction.

Front

What are products in a chemical reaction?

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Products are the substances that are formed as a result of a chemical reaction.

Front

What are reactants?

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Reactants are the starting materials in a chemical reaction that undergo transformation.

Front

What is a polymer?

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A polymer is a large molecule made up of repeating subunits called monomers.

Front

What are monomers?

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Monomers are the basic building blocks of polymers, such as amino acids for proteins or monosaccharides for carbohydrates.

Front

What is the lock and key model of enzyme action?

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The lock and key model describes how the shape of an enzyme's active site (the 'lock') is complementary to the shape of its specific substrate (the 'key').

Front

What factors affect enzyme activity?

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Enzyme activity can be affected by temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and the presence of inhibitors or activators.

Front

What is the optimal temperature for enzyme activity?

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The optimal temperature is the temperature at which an enzyme functions most efficiently, often around 30°C for many human enzymes.