2.2.5: Reaction Kinetics

All enzymes are homogenous catalysts, which means they provide a uniform environment for the reactants to interact, thereby lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed.

the difference between heterogenous and homogenous catalysts are:

Homogeneous catalysts are in the same phase as the reactants, typically in a solution, while heterogeneous catalysts exist in a different phase, often solid catalysts in contact with gaseous or liquid reactants.

Homogeneous catalysts often allow for easier mixing and interaction with reactants, whereas heterogeneous catalysts can be more challenging to work with due to limited surface area contact.

The activation energy is the potential energy of the transition state, minus the potential energy of the reactants.

Enzymes work in 2 ways: lowering the energy of the transition state, or form a new reaction intermediate, thus providing a new mechanism that has a lower activation energy.

Each enzyme connects with a specific molecule called a substrate.

The substrate binds to a part of an enzyme called the active site.

A reaction is catalyzed only after the enzyme-substrate complex is formed, which lowers the the energy of the transition state, also called stabilizing it.