Download Enzyme Notes Outline

Environmental Bio-Enzyme Notes
Define “energy”:
Energy is released or absorbed when bonds form or break
“Reactants”: Elements or compounds that enter into a chemical reaction
“Products”: Elements or compounds produced by a chemical reaction
Example of chemical reactions in the body:
CO2 + H2O  H2CO3 (carbonic acid)
This reaction allows CO2 to be carried to your lungs much quicker
When H2CO3 gets to your lungs, the reaction is reversed:
H2CO3 CO2 + H2O
Energy in reactions:
Energy is released or absorbed when bonds form or break
Exothermic: When energy is released in a reaction.
Endothermic: When energy is absorbed in reaction.
Plants get energy from sunlight to fuel reactions
Animals get energy from their food
Exothermic
Endothermic
Define “activation energy”: The energy needed to get a reaction started
Give 3 examples of activation
energy:
1) Striking a match
2) Turning the key for starting a car
Define “enzymes”:
Proteins that speed up reactions without being changed themselves
When are they used?: To speed up chemical reactions are too slow or have
high activation energies
** Enzymes are very specific- they only catalyze one type of reaction **
What is the “substrate”-The reactants that interact with enzymes
What is the “active site”-Site of the chemical reaction.
Explain the Lock and Key model:
Enzyme=The Lock
Key=The Substrate
Enzymes can be affected by any variable
that influences chemical reaction
Work best at certain pH
Affected by temperature
Cells contain proteins that turn the
enzymes “on” or “off”
Denatured-When a protein loses it’s original shape and no longer the way it
should.