What is the role of enzymes?
Flexi Says: Enzymes increase the rate of chemical reactions by reducing the amount of activation energy needed for reactants to start reacting. Enzymes aren’t changed or used up in the reactions they catalyze, so they can be used to speed up the same reaction over and over again. Each enzyme is highly specific for the particular reaction it catalyzes, so enzymes are very effective. The substrates (reactants) fit precisely into the active site of the enzyme like a key into a lock. Being brought together in the enzyme in this way helps the reactants react more easily. After the product is formed, it is released by the enzyme. The enzyme is now ready to pick up more reactants and catalyze another reaction.
Learn more in the Enzymes lesson.