AP Biology: Enzymes

Front

What is an enzyme?

Back

A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions in living organisms without being consumed in the process.

Front

What is the active site of an enzyme?

Back

The specific region of an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction.

Front

What is the role of pH in enzyme activity?

Back

Enzymes have an optimal pH range in which they function best; deviations can reduce their activity.

Front

What is activation energy?

Back

The minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur.

Front

How do enzymes lower activation energy?

Back

By stabilizing the transition state and providing an alternative reaction pathway.

Front

What is substrate specificity?

Back

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

Front

What happens to enzymes at extreme temperatures?

Back

They can denature, losing their shape and functionality.

Front

What is enzyme denaturation?

Back

The process in which an enzyme loses its three-dimensional structure, rendering it inactive.

Front

What is a cofactor?

Back

A non-protein chemical compound that is required for the biological activity of some enzymes.

Front

What is the difference between competitive and non-competitive inhibition?

Back

Competitive inhibition occurs when an inhibitor competes with the substrate for the active site, while non-competitive inhibition occurs when an inhibitor binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site.