Enzymes:
Thousands of chemical reactions take place in our cells. We need these reactions to happen quickly to keep us alive Luckily for us there are chemicals called enzymes. Enzymes make reaction happen at a much faster rate. Chemicals that speed up reactions are called catalysts. Since enzymes speed up chemical reactions in our cells, they are often called biological catalysts. |
How enzymes work
Enzymes are protein molecules made up of long chains of amino acids. These long chains are folded to produce a special shape called the active site. Other molecules called substrates fit into the active site and reaction takes place. |
Factors that affect enzyme action:
1. Temperature
2. pH
3. Concentration
4. Inhibitors
2. pH
3. Concentration
4. Inhibitors