Energy and Enzyme Mechanisms

A set of flashcards designed to help students review key vocabulary and concepts related to energy types, enzyme mechanisms, and reaction dynamics.

Electrical Energy

Energy related to the movement of charged particles.

Potential Energy

Energy related to the position of charged particles.

Chemical Potential Energy

Based on electron positions in molecular bonds; the energy utilized in building or breaking of bonds.

Gibbs Free Energy

The total energy available to do work.

Endergonic Reaction

A reaction that requires energy, resulting in products that have higher energy than reactants.

Exergonic Reaction

A reaction that releases energy and has products with lower energy than reactants.

Anabolic Reactions

Reactions that build larger molecules from smaller ones and are endergonic.

Catabolic Reactions

Reactions that break down larger molecules into smaller units, and are exergonic.

Activation Energy

The energy required for reactants to reach a transition state.

Transition State

The state at which the reactants have absorbed enough energy to undergo a transformation.

Enzyme Activation Site

The region on the enzyme where the substrate binds.

Role of Activation Site

Binds to substrate and catalyzes reaction to form the product.

Allosteric Inhibition

A small molecule that binds to a site other than the activation site to inhibit or activate the enzyme.

Competitive Inhibition

A type of inhibition where a substance binds to the active site of an enzyme, preventing substrate binding.

Co-Factors

Inorganic ions that bind elsewhere on the enzyme and assist in enzymatic activity.

Co-Enzymes

Organic molecules that bind to the active site and improve substrate binding.

Negative Feedback Inhibition

The end product of a biosynthetic pathway binds to an allosteric site on an enzyme, stopping the enzyme's activity.

End Product

The final product in a biosynthetic pathway that can inhibit enzyme activity.

Enzyme Catalysis

The acceleration of a chemical reaction by an enzyme, usually by lowering the activation energy.