Enzymes as Biological Catalysts Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What is a biological catalyst?

A substance (an enzyme) that speeds up the rate of a reaction in a living organism without being changed or used up.

What are carbohydrates such as starch broken down into by enzymes?

Simple sugars, e.g. glucose.

What are proteins broken down into by enzymes?

Amino acids.

What are lipids (fats) broken down into by enzymes?

Fatty acids and glycerol.

What role do enzymes play in synthesis reactions?

They catalyse the joining of small molecules into large ones, e.g. glucose molecules joined to make starch or glycogen.

True or false? Enzymes are used up in the reactions they catalyse.

False. An enzyme is unchanged by the reaction and can be used again.