Chapter 6 Section 2 Vocabulary

Chemical Reaction

the process by which atoms or groups of atoms in substances are reorganized into different substances

Reactants

The starting substance or substances of a chemical reaction.

Products

The substance formed during a chemical reaction.

Activation Energy

The minimum amount of energy needed for reactants to form products in a chemical reaction.

Catalyst

A substance that lowers the activation energy needed to start a chemical reaction

Enzymes

Proteins that act as catalysts to speed up the rate of chemical reactions.

Substrate

The reactants that bind to the enzyme.

Active Site

The specific location where a substrate binds to an enzyme. This structure and the substrate have complimentary shapes.