Enzymes

• What are enzymes responsible for in living organisms?

  Enzymes make cells work and facilitate chemical reactions.
• Why are enzymes considered catalysts?

  Because they increase the speed of reactions without being changed or used up.
• What do living things have happening inside them all the time?

  Thousands of different chemical reactions.
• How do enzymes help with chemical reactions in living organisms?

  They speed up reactions and reduce the need for high temperatures.
• What happens if the temperature is raised too high in a living organism?

  Cells begin to die due to broken bonds in enzymes.
• What are enzymes made of?

  Enzymes are all proteins made up of chains of amino acids.
• Why do enzymes have specific shapes?

  They need particular shapes to do their jobs effectively.
• What is the role of the active site in an enzyme?

  The substrate must fit into the active site for the reaction to be catalyzed.
• What happens if the substrate does not match the enzyme's active site?

  The reaction cannot be catalyzed.
• What does the 'lock and key' model of enzyme action illustrate?

  It shows how enzymes and substrates fit together for reactions.
• What is the 'induced fit' model of enzyme action?

  It describes how the active site changes shape slightly as the substrate binds.
• What is necessary for an enzyme to catalyze a reaction?

  The correct substrate must fit into the enzyme's active site.
• What conditions do enzymes need to work properly?

  They need just the right conditions, including temperature.
• How does changing the temperature affect enzyme-catalyzed reactions?

  Higher temperatures initially increase the reaction rate.
• What happens to enzymes if the temperature gets too hot?

  Some bonds holding the enzyme together break, altering its structure.
• What is the enzyme-substrate complex?

  It is the temporary complex formed when an enzyme binds to its substrate.
• Why are enzymes not very versatile?

  They require specific conditions to work properly.