Enzymes

How enzymes work;

• Biological catalyts (speed up chemical reactions)
  • break down: large --> small
  • build up: small --> large
• Enzymes do the reacting with something call a substrate
• On the enzyme, something called an active site exists. It is the place the substrate  binds to

There is a theory that the active site changes shape to compliment the shape of the subtrate. This is called the induced fit theory. (Induced meaning to be persuaded/influenced to do something. Ergo, the active site is persuaded to change shape to accomodate the shape of the substrate) After the reaction is complete, the active site returns to its original shape

Enzyme properties;

• specific
• efficient.
• reduce activation energy of a reaction (minimum energy needed to begin the reaction)

There are factors that determine how well an enzyme works, however.

Temperature: Greater…