what are enzymes

• What is the main focus of the video discussed in the study material?

  The video explores the world of enzymes.
• Why are enzymes important for living cells?

  They enable cells to carry out numerous chemical reactions quickly.
• What is a key problem with chemical reactions in living cells?

  Most chemical reactions are naturally quite slow.
• What is one way to increase the rate of a chemical reaction, and what is a drawback of this method?

  Increasing temperature can speed up reactions but may damage cells.
• What is a catalyst?

  A catalyst is a substance that increases the speed of a chemical reaction without being changed or used up.
• How does the definition of a catalyst relate to enzymes?

  Enzymes are a specific type of catalyst made by living organisms.
• What are enzymes primarily made of?

  Enzymes are large proteins made up of long chains of amino acids.
• What determines the specific shape of an enzyme?

  The specific sequence of amino acids in the chain determines the enzyme's shape.
• What is a substrate in the context of enzyme action?

  A substrate is a reactant that an enzyme acts upon in a chemical reaction.
• What is the role of the active site in an enzyme?

  The active site is a region of the enzyme that has a unique shape complementary to the substrate.
• What happens if a substrate does not fit the active site of an enzyme?

  If the substrate doesn't fit, the reaction won't be catalyzed.
• What are the two main models of enzyme action?

  • Lock and Key Model: Substrates fit perfectly into the active site.
  • Induced Fit Model: Enzyme changes shape slightly to fit the substrate better.
• How did the understanding of enzyme action evolve from the lock and key model to the induced fit model?

  Scientists now know that enzymes change shape slightly when binding to substrates.
• How can you describe the induced fit model using a common analogy?

  It can be likened to putting your hand into a rubber glove, which molds around your hand.
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