Enzymes

Front

What are enzymes?

Back

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction.

Front

What is denaturation of an enzyme?

Back

Denaturation is the process in which an enzyme loses its functional shape due to external factors like temperature or pH, rendering it inactive.

Front

Which factors can denature an enzyme?

Back

High temperature, low pH, and high pH can denature an enzyme, while low temperature typically does not.

Front

What is competitive inhibition?

Back

Competitive inhibition occurs when a substance competes with the substrate for binding to the active site of an enzyme, reducing the enzyme's activity.

Front

How can competitive inhibition be overcome?

Back

Increasing substrate concentration can help overcome competitive inhibition by outcompeting the inhibitor for the active site.

Front

What is noncompetitive inhibition?

Back

Noncompetitive inhibition occurs when an inhibitor binds to an allosteric site on the enzyme, changing its shape and reducing its activity regardless of substrate concentration.

Front

How does a noncompetitive inhibitor affect reaction rates?

Back

A noncompetitive inhibitor decreases reaction rates by binding to the allosteric site, altering the enzyme's shape and function.

Front

What is the role of enzymes in chemical reactions?

Back

Enzymes speed up chemical reactions by orienting reacting molecules, straining bonds in the substrate, and providing a favorable environment.

Front

What is activation energy?

Back

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

Front

Do enzymes increase the activation energy of reactions?

Back

No, enzymes lower the activation energy required for reactions to occur.