Enzymes

Front

What is an enzyme?

Back

A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions in living organisms.

Front

How do enzymes speed up reactions?

Back

By lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur.

Front

What is a catalyst?

Back

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.

Front

What is the active site of an enzyme?

Back

The specific region on the enzyme where the substrate binds.

Front

What is a substrate?

Back

The reactant molecule that an enzyme acts upon.

Front

What do enzymes typically end with?

Back

The suffix -ase.

Front

What is the role of temperature in enzyme activity?

Back

Temperature affects the rate of enzyme activity; each enzyme has an optimal temperature.

Front

What happens to enzymes at high temperatures?

Back

They can denature, losing their shape and function.

Front

What is enzyme specificity?

Back

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

Front

What is a cofactor?

Back

A non-protein molecule that assists enzymes in catalyzing reactions.