BIOL201-Enzymes

Enzyme

A biological catalyst, most of which are proteins, that accelerates chemical reactions in biological systems.

Metabolic pathway

An ordered series of chemical reactions that occur in a biological system.

Active site

The specific region of an enzyme where substrates bind and undergo a chemical reaction.

Potential energy

The stored energy in a system due to its position or configuration.

Kinetic energy

The energy of motion, which is related to the movement of an object.

1st Law of Thermodynamics

The principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.

2nd Law of Thermodynamics

The principle that the total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time.

Endergonic reaction

A chemical reaction that absorbs energy from its surroundings.

Exergonic reaction

A chemical reaction that releases energy to its surroundings.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

A nucleotide that serves as the primary energy carrier in cells.

Hydrolysis of ATP

A reaction where ATP is broken down into ADP and inorganic phosphate, releasing energy.

Substrate

The reactant that an enzyme acts upon during a chemical reaction.

Activation energy

The minimum amount of energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

Catabolic pathway

A metabolic pathway that breaks down molecules, releasing energy.

Anabolic pathway

A metabolic pathway that builds larger molecules from smaller ones, requiring energy input.