Question

How do enzymes increase the rate of reaction?

• A. By lowering activation energy
• B. By increasing activation energy
• C. By changing equilibrium constant
• D. By forming enzyme substrate complex

Answer 1

The correct option is A By lowering activation energy

A Catalyst is a substance which acclerates the rate of a chemical reaction without undergoing any change in its chemical composition or massduring the reaction. A catalyst acclerates the rate of a reaction by lowering the activation energy.

Enzyme Catalysis - These are catalysts in the living system. Enzymes are substances which by their their presence, alter the rate of anybiological event. These are mainly proteins, and enzyme action is structure specific.

Enzyme catalysis is the increase in the rate of a chemical reaction by the active site of a protein. The protein catalyst (enzyme) may be part of a multi-subunit complex, and/or may transiently or permanently associate with a Cofactor (e.g. adenosine triphosphate). Catalysis of biochemical reactions in the cell is vital due to the very low reaction rates of the uncatalysed reactions. A key driver of protein evolution is the optimization of such catalytic activities via protein dynamics.

Enzymes are macromolecular biological catalysts. These are highly selective catalysts greatly accelerating both the rate and specificity of metabolic reactions. All enzymes are insoluble since they exist in the colloidal state. Urease is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea, forming ammonia and carbon dioxide.
They decrease activation energy by providing alternate pathway for process and hence, increase the rate of reaction.