Enzymes - key ideas + how they work

Question 1

Enzymes are described as b………… c……………. And what is the definition

Answer 1

Biological catalysts - increase the rate of a specific chemical reaction in the cell.

Question 2

What is a catalyst?

Answer 2

Catalysts - a chemical which increases the rate of reaction but remains unaltered itself at the end of the reaction

Question 3

Enzymes are s……………… p……….. m………….

Answer 3

Specialised protein molecules

Question 4

what is the active site and what binds to it?

Answer 4

• small cleft in the surface of the enzyme
• location where specific substrate can bind to the enzyme

Question 5

What is the combination called when the active site is occupied by a substrate?

Answer 5

Enzyme - substrate complex

Question 6

The active site is a ………………. ……….. ……. For the substrate

Answer 6

Complementary binding site

Question 7

Why will each enzyme only allowed one specific substrate bind to its active site?

Answer 7

Active site is complementary to the specific shape of the substrate
Other substrates that don’t have the correct complimentary shape for an active site therefore unable for an ESC

Question 8

What is the structure of an enzyme?

Answer 8

• specialised protein
• made from a long chain of amino acids
• Long chain is folded into a 3D structure to make a functional enzyme

Question 9

What happens after the reaction from the enzyme - substrate complex is complete?

Answer 9

• products are released
• enzyme can be used again