Unit 1 SOL Review: Biomolecules

Front

What is an enzyme?

Back

An enzyme is a biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur.

Front

How do enzymes affect activation energy?

Back

Enzymes lower the activation energy needed for a reaction, allowing it to proceed more quickly.

Front

What happens to an enzyme in a denaturing environment?

Back

When enzymes are placed in an environment that 'kills' them, they become denatured, losing their functional shape and activity.

Front

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

Back

The active site is the specific region of an enzyme where the substrate binds, facilitating the chemical reaction.

Front

What are controlled variables in an experiment?

Back

Controlled variables (constants) are the factors that are kept the same throughout an experiment to ensure that the results are valid.

Front

What is the effect of adding an enzyme to a reaction?

Back

Adding an enzyme to a reaction speeds up the reaction by lowering the activation energy.

Front

What are macromolecules?

Back

Macromolecules are large, complex molecules that are essential for life, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

Front

What is the significance of graphs in understanding enzyme activity?

Back

Graphs can visually represent the relationship between enzyme concentration, substrate concentration, and reaction rate, helping to analyze enzyme activity.

Front

What is substrate specificity in enzymes?

Back

Substrate specificity refers to the ability of an enzyme to choose exact substrate molecules to bind and catalyze a reaction.

Front

What factors can affect enzyme activity?

Back

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