IB Enzymes 2

Front

What is a substrate?

Back

A substrate is a molecule upon which an enzyme acts. It is the reactant that is transformed during a chemical reaction.

Front

What does the 'lock and key hypothesis' explain?

Back

The 'lock and key hypothesis' explains enzyme specificity, suggesting that enzymes are specific to their substrates, much like a key fits into a specific lock.

Front

Why can a fever be dangerous?

Back

A fever can be dangerous because it can cause enzymes to denature, which means they lose their functional shape and can no longer catalyze reactions.

Front

How do enzymes affect the speed of reactions?

Back

Enzymes make a reaction go faster and use less energy compared to reactions without enzymes.

Front

What is an enzyme-substrate complex?

Back

An enzyme-substrate complex is formed when an enzyme binds to its substrate, facilitating the chemical reaction.

Front

What is enzyme specificity?

Back

Enzyme specificity refers to the ability of an enzyme to choose exact substrates from a group of similar chemical molecules.

Front

What happens to enzymes at high temperatures?

Back

At high temperatures, enzymes can denature, losing their shape and functionality, which can halt the reaction they catalyze.

Front

What is the role of enzymes in biological reactions?

Back

Enzymes act as catalysts in biological reactions, speeding up the rate of reactions without being consumed in the process.

Front

What is activation energy?

Back

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

Front

How do enzymes lower activation energy?

Back

Enzymes lower activation energy by providing an alternative reaction pathway and stabilizing the transition state.