Why do chemical reactions in our

body happen?
• Name the structures that allow chemical reactions to take place in the body
• Describe what enzymes are
• Explain how enzymes work
• Using graphs describe and explain what happens to enzyme function in
different pH and temperatures

Starter

1. What does a catalyst do to a reaction?

2. What job might an enzyme have in the body?

 • Name the
What are enzymes? structures that
allow chemical
reactions to
Enzymes digest food in the mouth, stomach and small intestine. take place in
the body
They break down large food molecules into smaller ones so they • Describe what
can be absorbed by the blood. This is called chemical digestion. enzymes are
• Explain how
enzymes work.
• Using graphs
describe and
explain what
happens to
enzyme
function in
different pH
and
temperatures
 • Name the
What are enzymes made of? structures that
allow chemical
reactions to
Enzymes are protein molecules, and so are made up of amino take place in
acids. Most enzymes contain between 100 and 1,000 amino acids. the body
• Describe what
These amino acids are joined together in a long chain, which is enzymes are
folded to produce a unique 3D structure. • Explain how
enzymes work.
• Using graphs
describe and
explain what
happens to
enzyme
function in
different pH
and
temperatures
 • Name the
How do enzymes work? structures that
allow chemical
reactions to
Lock and Key theory… take place in
the body
• Describe what
enzymes are
1. What is particular • Explain how
about locks and enzymes work.
• Using graphs
keys? describe and
explain what
2. How might this happens to
enzyme
relate to enzymes? function in
different pH
and
temperatures
 • Name the
How do enzymes work? structures that
allow chemical
reactions to
Lock and Key theory… take place in
the body
product • Describe what
enzymes are
• Explain how
enzymes work.
• Using graphs
describe and
explain what
happens to
enzyme
Enzyme function in
(unchanged) different pH
and
temperatures
What are the factors that • Name the
structures that
affect enzyme activity? allow chemical
reactions to
Enzymes in the human body take place in
• Temperature work best at 37oC. the body
• pH • Describe what
enzymes are
• Explain how
Amylase (in saliva) works enzymes work.
best at pH 7 – so it cannot • Using graphs
work in the stomach at pH 2. describe and
The active site on enzymes is affected by temperature explain what
and pH – if the conditions are NOT right, the ‘key will happens to
not fit in the lock’ – ‘substrate will not fit the enzyme’ enzyme
function in
different pH
and
temperatures
What are the factors that • Name the
structures that
affect enzyme activity? allow chemical
reactions to
take place in
the body
• Describe what
enzymes are
• Explain how
enzymes work.
• Using graphs
describe and
explain what
happens to
enzyme
function in
Write one sentence for each graph describing what is different pH
and
happening to the levels of enzyme activity. temperatures