AP BIO: Semester 1 FERP Unit 3

Enzyme

A protein that speeds up biological reactions by lowering activation energy.

Active Site

The specific region of an enzyme where substrates bind.

Induced Fit

A model describing how an enzyme changes shape to fit the substrate after binding.

Gibbs Free Energy

The energy associated with a chemical reaction that can be used to do work.

Activation Energy

The minimum energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

Denaturation

The loss of an enzyme's functional shape due to environmental stress, affecting its activity.

Competitive Inhibitor

A molecule that competes with the substrate for binding to the enzyme's active site.

Noncompetitive Inhibitor

A molecule that binds to an enzyme at a different site, altering its shape and function.

First Law of Thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another.

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Energy transfers increase the overall entropy (disorder) of the universe.

Endergonic Reaction

A reaction that absorbs energy, such as photosynthesis.

Exergonic Reaction

A reaction that releases energy, such as cellular respiration.

Photosynthesis

The process by which light energy is converted into chemical energy in plants.

Electron Transport Chain

A series of proteins in the mitochondrial inner membrane that transfer electrons and create a proton gradient.

Chemiosmosis

The process of ATP production driven by the flow of protons through ATP synthase.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The process of synthesizing ATP using oxygen and the electron transport chain.

Photophosphorylation

The process of ATP synthesis during photosynthesis using light energy.

Endotherm

An organism that maintains its body temperature through internal mechanisms.

Proton Gradient

A difference in proton concentration across a membrane, used to drive ATP synthesis.

RNAse A

An example of an enzyme that can regain function under specific conditions.

Fried Egg Proteins

An example of proteins that undergo irreversible denaturation when cooked.