AP Bio Insta-Review Topic 3.2*: Enzyme Catalysis

Front

What is enzyme catalysis?

Back

Enzyme catalysis is the process by which enzymes accelerate chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur.

Front

What is activation energy?

Back

Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

Front

How do enzymes affect the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) of a reaction?

Back

Enzymes do not change the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) of a reaction; they only speed up the rate at which equilibrium is reached.

Front

What is the relationship between activation energy and reaction rate?

Back

Lower activation energy results in a higher reaction rate, as more molecules have sufficient energy to overcome the energy barrier.

Front

What happens to the activation energy when an enzyme is present?

Back

The activation energy decreases when an enzyme is present, allowing the reaction to proceed more quickly.

Front

What is the role of the active site in an enzyme?

Back

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

Front

What is a substrate in the context of enzyme activity?

Back

A substrate is a reactant molecule upon which an enzyme acts.

Front

What is the lock and key model of enzyme action?

Back

The lock and key model describes how the enzyme's active site (the 'lock') is specifically shaped to fit a particular substrate (the 'key').

Front

What is the induced fit model of enzyme action?

Back

The induced fit model suggests that the active site of an enzyme changes shape to better fit the substrate upon binding.

Front

What factors can affect enzyme activity?

Back

Factors that can affect enzyme activity include temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and the presence of inhibitors or activators.