HOW DO ENZYMES PROBABLY WORK?

What are enzymes?

Enzymes are biological molecules that are considered as catalysts which speed up the
rate of the reaction that take place in the cells.

What are catalysts?

A catalyst is a chemical that speeds up a chemical reaction without getting destroyed by
the reaction.

Functions of enzymes?
-Enzymes speed up the rate of the chemical reactions in the body breaking down and
building up some reaction. For example amino acids into proteins.
-Enzymes can lower the activations energy to require the start of the reaction.
-Some enzymes help to break down large molecules. Others build up large molecules for
small ones.

Characteristics of Enzymes
- At the end of each reaction enzymes remain chemically unchanged this mean that
they can be re-used again.

Enzymes are required very small amounts.

Mode of action

The substrate fits in the

enzyme active site, just as a
key enters a lock.

An enzyme-substrate are
formed

Chemical reactions are occurred

in the active site and new
products are formed.

Denaturation

The most important part of an enzyme is called the active site. This is where the
molecules react to form new products. Increasing the temperature to 60C will cause a
permanent change to the shape of the active site. This is why enzyme stop working when they are
heated at high temperatures so this is called an enzyme has become denatured. However there are
other type of enzyme the can denature and 80C.

References:
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/biology/enzymes/revise-it/enzymes
http://www.livescience.com/45145-how-do-enzymes-work.html
http://staff.jccc.net/pdecell/metabolism/enzymes/enzymes.html
http://www.rsc.org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/enzymes.htm
Factors-affecting-Enzyme-Activity-191j1yu.ppt
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_edexcel/cells/enzymesr
ev3.shtml
http://sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Digestion-Chemistry/SciMedia/Images/Denatured-enzyme

Dylan Fernandez

Year 10