Enzymes & Energy Flashcard

Front

What is an enzyme?

Back

A protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions in biological processes.

Front

What is the role of enzymes in chemical reactions?

Back

Enzymes speed up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur.

Front

What does the term 'activation energy' mean?

Back

The minimum amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to occur.

Front

What is the 'lock and key hypothesis'?

Back

A model that explains how enzymes are specific to their substrates, fitting together like a key in a lock.

Front

What is a substrate in the context of enzymes?

Back

The reactant molecule that an enzyme acts upon.

Front

What happens to an enzyme after it catalyzes a reaction?

Back

The enzyme remains unchanged and can be used again for subsequent reactions.

Front

What is enzyme specificity?

Back

The ability of an enzyme to choose exact substrate from a group of similar chemical molecules.

Front

What factors can affect enzyme activity?

Back

Temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and the presence of inhibitors or activators.

Front

What is a competitive inhibitor?

Back

A substance that competes with the substrate for binding to the active site of the enzyme.

Front

What is a non-competitive inhibitor?

Back

A substance that binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site, reducing its activity.