Biology Grade 9: Enzymes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to enzymes as discussed in the lecture.

What are enzymes?

Biological molecules that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms by lowering the activation energy.

What is activation energy?

The minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur.

What happens to enzyme activity at high temperatures?

High temperatures can denature enzymes, altering their shape and reducing their activity.

What does denaturation mean?

The process in which the structure of an enzyme is altered, leading to a loss of function.

What is a substrate?

The reactant molecule(s) that an enzyme acts on.

What is the active site of an enzyme?

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

What effect does increasing substrate concentration have?

It can increase the reaction rate, provided there are enough enzymes available to bind with the substrates.

What is a competitive inhibitor?

A substance that competes with the substrate for the active site on the enzyme, reducing enzyme activity.

What is the optimum temperature for enzyme function?

The temperature at which an enzyme's activity is at its highest.

How do enzymes relate to chemical reactions?

Enzymes facilitate reactions by lowering the activation energy required, enabling reactions to occur faster.