BIOMOLECULES AND ENZYMES

Detailed explanation-1: -Enzymes provide a lower energy pathway for the reactants to become products-since less energy is required, more molecules at a give temperature will have enough to proceed through the reaction.

Detailed explanation-2: -Enzymes bind both reactant molecules (called the substrate), tightly and specifically, at a site on the enzyme molecule called the active site. By binding reactants at the active site, enzymes also position reactants correctly, so they do not have to overcome intermolecular forces that would otherwise push them apart.

Detailed explanation-3: -Enzymes do not affect the Gibbs free energy of a reaction. That means that they do not increase or decrease how much products are formed and how much reactants are used up nor do they increase or decrease the free energy values of the products and reactants.

Detailed explanation-4: -Enzymes are biological catalysts. Catalysts lower the activation energy for reactions. The lower the activation energy for a reaction, the faster the rate. Thus enzymes speed up reactions by lowering activation energy.

Detailed explanation-5: -Figure 4.7 Enzymes lower the activation energy of the reaction but do not change the free energy of the reaction.