(c)+Enzymes+&+activation+energy


 * __(c) Enzymes & activation energy__**

(1) What is the connection between enzymes & activation energy? (2) Draw a graph to show the activation energy and how enzymes affect this. Describe how catalysts make this reaction go faster.

By temporarily combining with the chemicals involved in the reaction, enzymes carry out their function of decreasing the activation energy. The chemicals are called substrates. Enzymes are specific to their substrates, which means that a particular substrate molecule will combine temporarily with one enzyme type, and the active site of a particular enzyme will fill only one kind of substrate. For instance, the enzyme sucrase will only fit the substrate sucrose. This is called enzyme- substrate complex. When the enzyme and substrate combine, the substrate is changed to a dfifferent chemical called the product. When the product is used in the process of reaction, activation energy required will drop dramatically. The enzyme is not consumed or altered by the reaction. Therefore, enzymes are reusable. Some are so efficient that they are capable of catalyzing thousands of reactions every second.



This is a great analogy on how enzymes reduce activation energy media type="youtube" key="CIeg4P9mi4g" height="315" width="420"

Masatoki & Giang