Enzymes Flashcards
What is a enzyme ?
An enzyme is a biological catalyst.
What’s a catalyst?
A catalyst is a substance which increases the speed of a reaction, without being changed or used up in the reaction.
What’s the active site?
The active site is where the substrate attaches to the enzyme
Explain lock and key theory
It’s when the lock is the enzyme and the key is the substrate so the enzyme has to perfectly fit the substrate or it won’t be catalysed.
Denaturing
When the enzymes shape has been changed due to high temperatures or wrong PH so the substrate won’t fit anymore
Ph
Different enzymes work at different phs as some can be acidic or alkali
Temperature
Higher temperature means more kinetic energy so more enzymes collide till optimum temperature then they start to denature because the shape of the active site changes
Substrate concentration
the higher the substrate concentration the faster the rate of reaction because its more likely the enzyme will meet up with substrate and react. till all the active sites are full
Equation to calculate the rate of reaction
Rate = 1000 ÷ time
What colour does starch turn from iodine ?
From orange to blue/black
What do protease convert?
Protease convert proteins into amino acids
What does lipase convert?
Lipase convert lipids into glycerol and fatty acids
What does carbohydrase convert?
Enzymes called carbohydrase covert carbohydrates into simple sugars (e.g amylase is a example of a carbohydrase. It breaks down starch)
Why do we need digestive enzymes
We need digestive enzymes like amylase, lipase and carbohydrase to break down big molecules so they can easily pass through the walls of the digestive system, allowing them to be absorbed into the bloodstream
Starch in plants
Starch is a carbohydrase
Which plants store energy as. So when plants need energy enzymes breakdown the starch into smaller molecules. This can then be respired to transfer energy that plants need to work
