AP/SUPA - Chapter 8: Metabolism, Energy and Enzymes

Front

What is metabolism?

Back

Metabolism refers to the sum of all chemical reactions that occur within a living organism to maintain life, including catabolism (breaking down molecules for energy) and anabolism (building up molecules for growth).

Front

What are enzymes?

Back

Enzymes are biological catalysts, typically proteins, that speed up chemical reactions in the body by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur.

Front

What is the role of pH in enzyme activity?

Back

The pH level can significantly affect enzyme activity; each enzyme has an optimum pH at which it functions best. Deviations from this pH can lead to decreased activity or denaturation.

Front

What happens to an enzyme's activity as temperature increases?

Back

Generally, enzyme activity increases with temperature up to a certain point (optimum temperature), after which the enzyme may denature and lose its function.

Front

What is denaturation in the context of enzymes?

Back

Denaturation is the process by which an enzyme loses its three-dimensional structure due to external factors like heat or pH changes, resulting in loss of function.

Front

What is an endergonic reaction?

Back

An endergonic reaction is a type of chemical reaction that requires an input of energy to proceed, resulting in products that have higher energy than the reactants.

Front

What is an exergonic reaction?

Back

An exergonic reaction is a chemical reaction that releases energy, resulting in products that have lower energy than the reactants.

Front

What is activation energy?

Back

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

Front

How do enzymes lower activation energy?

Back

Enzymes lower activation energy by providing an alternative reaction pathway and stabilizing the transition state, making it easier for the reaction to occur.

Front

What is the significance of enzyme shape?

Back

The shape of an enzyme is crucial as it determines the enzyme's specificity for its substrate; only substrates that fit the enzyme's active site can be catalyzed.