Biological Reactions and Enzymatic Activity

These flashcards encompass key vocabulary terms and definitions related to enzymes, energy, and metabolic reactions covered in the lecture.

Energy

The ability to do work, which is any change in the state or motion of matter.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion that can be converted into other forms of energy.

Potential Energy

Stored energy that can be released to perform work.

Thermodynamics

The study of energy transformations in matter.

1st Law of Thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed; it can only be transferred or transformed.

2nd Law of Thermodynamics

Energy transformation increases the entropy (disorder) of the universe.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions in a cell that transform energy and matter.

Catabolism

The metabolic process that breaks down molecules into smaller units to release energy.

Anabolism

The metabolic process that builds up complex molecules from simpler ones, requiring energy.

Enzymes

Proteins that catalyze (speed up) chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

Activation Energy

The initial input of energy required to start a chemical reaction.

Active Site

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

Denaturation

The loss of structure and function of an enzyme due to environmental changes.

Cofactors

Non-protein molecules that assist enzymes during the catalysis of reactions.

Competitive Inhibition

A process where an inhibitor competes with the substrate for binding to the active site.

Noncompetitive Inhibition

An inhibitor binds to an allosteric site, changing the enzyme's shape and preventing substrate binding.

Allosteric Regulation

Regulatory molecules bind to an allosteric site to increase or decrease enzyme activity.

Feedback Inhibition

A process where the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an earlier enzyme in the same pathway.