Ufuk Saylan - 2.

4 Formative Assessment
1. How does a catalyst affect the activation energy of a chemical reaction?

A catalyst is a substance that decreases the activation energy needed to start a chemical
reaction and, as a result, also increases the rate of the chemical reaction.

2. Describe how the interaction between an enzyme and its substrates changes a chemical reaction.

The interaction changes a chemical reaction by bringing substrates close together so that they can
react, and slightly weaken the bonds with substrates by changing the shapes of a molecule.

3. Infer // some organisms live in very hot or very acidic environments. Would their enzymes function in
a person’s cells? Why or why not?

No, because they function under different conditions than found in humans- different PH level
and temperature. Therefore, if they were placed in humans they would become denatured.

4. Predict // suppose that the amino acids that make up an enzyme’s active site are changed. How
might this change affect the enzyme?

The substrates would likely not bond to the enzyme because the shape of the active site would
change.