Enzymes and Their Actions

Biological Catalysts

• They are proteins

• Catalysts speed up chemical reactions

• Structure = Function: Enzymes are specific to their Substrate (reactants). Active site of the enzymes fits together with the substrate(s)

• Different reactions require different enzymes

• Some reactions release energy; others require energy. Energy changes determine whether a chemical reaction will occur.

• The energy needed to get a reaction started is called activation energy.

• Enzymes work to lower activation energy. Enzymes are called biological catalysts.

​Means to make something. Taking 2 different monomers and putting them together to make a polymer

​​Synthesis

​Means to split, divide, break something. Taking a polymer and splitting it apart.

​​Hydrolysis

This means the reaction is using WATER, or H2O to either combine or split the molecules.

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​Dehydration Reactions

In this, a water molecule (H20) is used to SPLIT a polymer into smaller molecules.

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​Hydrolysis Reaction

Lysis means to break apart.
Hydrolysis means to break polymers into monomers, by using H2O. It RELEASES energy to happen.

​Hydrolysis

Synthesis means to BUILD!
This is the process of putting TOGETHER monomers to make polymers, by using H2O. It REQUIRES energy.

​Dehydration Synthesis