Enzymes Flashcards
What are enzymes?
Proteins which act as biological catalysts produced by living things
What is a catalyst?
A substance which increases the speed of a reaction without being changed or used up in the reaction
What do enzymes reduce the need for?
High temperatures
What is the only thing the body has to speed up chemical reactions?
Enzymes
Enzymes are all ……….. (in the body) ?
Proteins
What are proteins made up of?
Long chains of amino acids
What 3 things do proteins act as as well as catalysts?
Structural components of tissues, hormones and antibodies
An enzyme is a…..?
Biological catalyst
What does every enzyme have?
A unique shape which fits onto the substance involved in a reaction
How many reactions do enzymes usually catalyse?
Just one
What has to be right for the enzyme to work?
The substance has to match the enzymes shape, otherwise the reaction will not be catalysed
What does an enzyme have?
An area where other molecules can fit
What is the area of an enzyme called where other molecules can fit?
The active site
What happens to the substrate in a reaction?
It is held in by the active site and either connected to another molecule or broken down
What 3 things can enzymes do?
Build large molecules from many smaller ones, change one molecule into another molecule, or break down large molecules into smaller ones
