5. Reactants are the starting materials in a chemical reaction, while products are the substances formed as a result of the reaction.
6. An enzyme is a biological catalyst that speeds up reactions; a substrate is the specific molecule the enzyme acts upon.
7. Endothermic reactions absorb energy from the surroundings; exothermic reactions release energy to the surroundings.
8. Synthesis reactions build larger molecules from smaller ones; digestion breaks down larger molecules into smaller ones.
9. Endothermic reactions require an input of energy to proceed, making them harder for cells to initiate without external energy sources.
10. Catalysts lower the activation energy required for reactions, allowing them to occur faster and at lower temperatures suitable for cellular conditions.
11. Enzymes are proteins (or sometimes RNA) that act as biological catalysts to speed up biochemical reactions without being consumed.
12. The shape of an enzyme determines its active site, which must match the substrate’s shape for binding and catalysis to occur (lock-and-key or induced fit model).
13. Two factors that affect enzyme function are temperature and pH.
14. The molecule that the enzyme reacts with is called the substrate.
15. A model that describes the way enzymes work is called the induced fit model. In this model the enzyme is the lock and the substrate is the key.
16. Enzyme
17. Active site
18. Substrate
19. Enzyme-substrate complex
20. Product
21. Released product
22. Enzyme (unchanged)
23. Enzyme returns to original shape
24. Substrate binds to enzyme
25. Substrate
26. Reaction occurs
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of enzymes worksheet.
