Introduction to Enzymes

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What are enzymes?

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms.

How do enzymes affect the activation energy of a reaction?

Enzymes lower the activation energy required for a reaction to proceed.

What is the active site of an enzyme?

The active site is the region on an enzyme where the substrate binds and the reaction occurs.

What is substrate specificity in enzymes?

Substrate specificity means that each enzyme can only bind to specific substrate molecules with a complementary shape.

How are enzymes named?

Enzymes are often named after the substrate they act on, with the suffix '-ase' added, such as lipase or protease.

What factors can affect enzyme activity?

Enzyme activity can be affected by temperature, pH, enzyme concentration, and substrate concentration.

What is meant by enzyme denaturation?

Denaturation refers to the process where an enzyme loses its structure and, therefore, its function, often caused by high temperatures or extreme pH.

What is the role of coenzymes in enzyme activity?

Coenzymes are organic molecules that bind to enzymes and assist in the enzyme's catalytic reaction, often by acting as carriers for electrons or specific atoms.

Can enzymes be used more than once?

Yes, enzymes are not consumed in the reaction, so they can be used repeatedly to catalyze multiple reactions.

What is an example of an enzyme and its function?

An example is amylase, which breaks down starch into sugars during digestion.

What is enzyme inhibition?

Enzyme inhibition is a process where a molecule binds to an enzyme and decreases its activity.

What is a competitive inhibitor?

A competitive inhibitor is a molecule that competes with the substrate by binding to the active site of the enzyme.

What is a non-competitive inhibitor?

A non-competitive inhibitor binds to a site other than the active site, causing a change in enzyme shape and function.

How does enzyme concentration impact reaction rate?

Increasing enzyme concentration generally increases the reaction rate, provided there is an excess of substrate available.

Why are enzymes crucial for living organisms?

Enzymes are crucial because they enable metabolic processes to occur quickly and efficiently at body temperatures.





Test Your Knowledge

Select the correct option


1. What are enzymes?

Proteins that provide energy to cells.

Chemicals that dissolve fats.

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms.

Components of DNA that control genetic traits.

2. How do enzymes affect the activation energy of a reaction?

Enzymes lower the activation energy required for a reaction to proceed.

Enzymes raise the activation energy needed for a reaction to happen.

Enzymes have no effect on activation energy.

Enzymes neutralize all energy in a reaction.

3. What is the active site of an enzyme?

The active site is the region on an enzyme where the substrate binds and the reaction occurs.

The part of the enzyme that regulates cellular respiration.

A site that produces energy for the enzyme's function.

Where the enzyme releases waste products.

4. What is substrate specificity in enzymes?

Substrate specificity means that each enzyme can only bind to specific substrate molecules with a complementary shape.

Substrate specificity means enzymes can react with all molecules.

Enzymes react only with sugar substrates.

Enzymes alter their shape to fit any substrate.

5. How are enzymes named?

Enzymes are often named after the substrate they act on, with the suffix '-ase' added, such as lipase or protease.

Enzymes are named based on the type of cell they are found in.

Enzymes are named after the scientist who discovered them.

Enzymes are named randomly.

6. What factors can affect enzyme activity?

Only enzyme concentration affects activity.

Temperature is the only factor.

Enzyme activity can be affected by temperature, pH, enzyme concentration, and substrate concentration.

Time of day primarily affects enzyme activity.

7. What is meant by enzyme denaturation?

When an enzyme gains new functions.

Denaturation refers to the process where an enzyme loses its structure and, therefore, its function, often caused by high temperatures or extreme pH.

The enhancement of an enzyme's active site.

An increase in enzyme production rate.

8. What is the role of coenzymes in enzyme activity?

Coenzymes are inactive components within enzymes.

Coenzymes provide the primary structure of enzymes.

Coenzymes are organic molecules that bind to enzymes and assist in the enzyme's catalytic reaction, often by acting as carriers for electrons or specific atoms.

Coenzymes store energy for reactions.

9. Can enzymes be used more than once?

No, enzymes are used up after one reaction.

Only in certain chemical reactions.

Yes, enzymes are not consumed in the reaction, so they can be used repeatedly to catalyze multiple reactions.

Only in the presence of light.

10. What is an example of an enzyme and its function?

Hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in cells.

An example is amylase, which breaks down starch into sugars during digestion.

Vitamins, which support growth and metabolism.

Chlorophyll, which is involved in photosynthesis.

11. What is enzyme inhibition?

The permanent destruction of an enzyme.

Enzyme inhibition is a process where a molecule binds to an enzyme and decreases its activity.

Increasing enzyme activity by temperature.

A shift in enzyme's pH balance.

12. What is a competitive inhibitor?

A competitive inhibitor is a molecule that competes with the substrate by binding to the active site of the enzyme.

A molecule that enhances enzyme activity.

A natural substrate that reacts faster.

A binding molecule at a distal site.

13. What is a non-competitive inhibitor?

A molecule that competes at the active site.

A non-competitive inhibitor binds to a site other than the active site, causing a change in enzyme shape and function.

An activator that neutralizes competitive inhibitors.

A substrate that accelerates enzymatic reactions.

14. How does enzyme concentration impact reaction rate?

Decreases the reaction rate in all conditions.

Has no impact on reaction rate.

Increasing enzyme concentration generally increases the reaction rate, provided there is an excess of substrate available.

Only affects rate at high temperatures.

15. Why are enzymes crucial for living organisms?

Enzymes are crucial because they enable metabolic processes to occur quickly and efficiently at body temperatures.

Enzymes store energy for later use.

Enzymes fight against bacterial infections.

Enzymes provide structural support to cells.