Metabolism and Enzymatic Function Worksheet

1. What is a ​catalyst​?

2. What is an ​active site​ and what is its function?

3. What is a ​substrate​?

4. One protein function that is of particular importance is that some function as enzymes.
Using the terms you defined in 1-3, explain how an enzyme works.

5. Why are enzymes essential to cell function?

6. The enzyme DNA polymerase speeds up the chemical reaction that makes new DNA
molecules. If this enzyme came in contact with RNA instead of the DNA it acts on would
it do anything? Why or why not?

7. What are ​four​ factors that affect enzymes’ ability to function?

8. Why do enzymes generally only bind to one type of substrate?

9. What is ​denaturing​ and what causes it to occur in enzymes/proteins?

 10. Reference the following graphs when answering parts A-C.

Graph 1 Graph 2

Graph 3

a. Using graph 1, explain how enzymes work. Include the term ​activation energy
and compare the two curves, explaining which is with the enzyme and which is
without the enzyme.

b. Using graph 2, explain how temperature affects enzyme activity. Use the term
denature​ in your explanation.

c. Using graph 3, explain how pH affects enzyme activity.