Biology Chapter 7: Enzymes and Reactions

Questions and Answers

What is a chemical reaction?

Involves breaking bonds, rearranging atoms, and making new bonds.

What is a catalyst?

Anything that speeds up a chemical reaction.

What is an enzyme?

A special kind of catalyst made of protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in living things.

What is catalase?

A specific example of an enzyme that speeds up the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide. Signup and view all the answers

What is the chemical equation for hydrogen peroxide being broken down by catalase?

2H₂O₂ = 2H₂O + O₂ Signup and view all the answers

How do enzymes work?

Some break things down, some build things up, they are specific, can be reused, can be denatured, and cooling them slows them down. Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to denature an enzyme?

When the shape of an enzyme changes from too much heat or the wrong pH, which causes the enzyme to stop working. Signup and view all the answers

What is activation energy?

The amount of energy needed to start a reaction. Signup and view all the answers

How do enzymes speed up chemical reactions?

By lowering the amount of activation energy needed for the reaction to happen. Signup and view all the answers

What are substrates?

The reactants of a reaction being catalyzed by an enzyme. Signup and view all the answers

What is an active site?

A special place on an enzyme where substrates attach based on the shape. Signup and view all the answers

What are the steps of an enzyme catalyzing a reaction?

<ol> <li>Substrate(s) attach to the enzyme at the active site. 2) Reaction happens and product(s) are made. 3) Product(s) leave enzyme so the enzyme can be reused.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-ase' indicate?

Enzyme. Signup and view all the answers

Write a sentence in which you show the relationship between reactants and products in a chemical reaction.

Reactants enter a chemical reaction to undergo change, eventually forming products. Signup and view all the answers

Write a sentence that shows the relationship between an enzyme, a substrate, and the active site.

The active site of the enzyme is a special place where the substrate can attach and then a reaction happens and products are made. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Chemical Reactions

Chemical reactions involve breaking and forming chemical bonds, rearranging atoms to create new substances.
Reactants undergo changes during chemical reactions, leading to the formation of products.

Catalysts and Enzymes

Catalysts are substances that accelerate the rate of chemical reactions.
Enzymes are specialized proteins that act as biological catalysts, increasing reaction rates in living organisms.

Specific Enzyme Example

Catalase is an enzyme that catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.

Chemical Equations

The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide can be represented as:
- 2H₂O₂ → 2H₂O + O₂ (Reactants yield Products).

Enzyme Functionality

Enzymes can either break down molecules or synthesize new ones.
Each enzyme is specific to a particular reaction and can be reused multiple times without being consumed.
Enzymes can be denatured by excessive heat or inappropriate pH levels, affecting their functionality.
Cooling enzymes does not denature them but slows their activity.

Activation Energy

Activation energy is the minimum energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.
Enzymes lower the activation energy, facilitating faster reactions.

Substrates and Active Sites

Substrates are the reactants upon which enzymes act.
The active site is the specific region on the enzyme where substrates bind, dictated by complementary shapes.

Enzyme Catalysis Process

Step 1: Substrates bind to the enzyme at the active site.
Step 2: The enzyme-substrate complex undergoes a reaction, producing products.
Step 3: Products are released, allowing the enzyme to be available for subsequent reactions.

Enzyme Nomenclature

Enzymes typically end with the suffix “-ase” indicating their role in catalysis.

Understanding Chemical Reactions

Reactants engage in a chemical reaction resulting in the formation of products, highlighting the transformation process inherent to chemical interactions.

Enzyme-Substrate Interaction

The active site serves as the binding location for substrates, where the enzyme facilitates the conversion of substrates into products.

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Explore key concepts related to enzymes and chemical reactions in this flashcard quiz. Learn definitions of important terms such as catalysts and enzymes, and understand their roles in biochemical processes. Perfect for biology students looking to reinforce their knowledge.