Do enzymes increase the rate of reaction?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the role of enzymes in chemical reactions, specifically whether they increase the rate at which reactions occur. Enzymes are biological catalysts that typically speed up reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed.
Answer
Yes, enzymes increase the rate of reaction.
The final answer is yes, enzymes increase the rate of reaction by lowering the activation energy.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is yes, enzymes increase the rate of reaction by lowering the activation energy.
More Information
Besides increasing the rate of reaction by lowering activation energy, enzymes are highly specific to the substrates they bind, enabling precise control over biochemical processes.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume enzymes change the equilibrium of the reaction, but they only speed up the rate at which equilibrium is reached.
Sources
- How do enzymes affect rate of reactions? - Socratic - socratic.org
- Enzymes and Reaction Rates - .nau.edu
- Do enzymes increase the rate of a reaction? - BYJU'S - byjus.com