Table of contents

1. Introduction to Biochemistry4h 34m
2. Water3h 23m
3. Amino Acids8h 10m
4. Protein Structure10h 4m
5. Protein Techniques14h 5m
6. Enzymes and Enzyme Kinetics13h 38m
7. Enzyme Inhibition and Regulation 8h 42m
8. Protein Function 9h 41m
9. Carbohydrates7h 49m
10. Lipids5h 49m
11. Biological Membranes and Transport 6h 37m
12. Biosignaling9h 45m
Review 1: Nucleic Acids, Lipids, & Membranes2h 47m
Review 2: Biosignaling, Glycolysis, Gluconeogenesis, & PP-Pathway3h 12m
Review 3: Pyruvate & Fatty Acid Oxidation, Citric Acid Cycle, & Glycogen Metabolism2h 26m
Review 4: Amino Acid Oxidation, Oxidative Phosphorylation, & Photophosphorylation1h 48m

6. Enzymes and Enzyme Kinetics

Enzymes

Biochemistry

6. Enzymes and Enzyme Kinetics

Enzymes

Previous problemNext problem

Struggling with Biochemistry?

Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video

Multiple Choice

Which of the following aspects of a chemical reaction are affected by enzymes?

The activation energy of the reaction

The overall free energy change ([KaTeX:9;G9;[KaTeX:]) of the reaction

The equilibrium constant ([KaTeX:K_{eq}[KaTeX:]) of the reaction

The rate at which the reaction occurs

Previous problemNext problem

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Begin by understanding the role of enzymes in chemical reactions. Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed.

Step 2: Clarify the concept of activation energy. Activation energy is the energy barrier that must be overcome for reactants to be converted into products. Enzymes reduce this barrier, allowing the reaction to occur more quickly.

Step 3: Discuss the overall free energy change (ΔG) of the reaction. Enzymes do not alter the ΔG of a reaction because they do not change the thermodynamic properties of the reactants or products. ΔG is determined solely by the difference in energy between reactants and products.

Step 4: Explain the equilibrium constant (K_eq). Enzymes do not affect the equilibrium constant of a reaction because they do not change the ratio of reactants to products at equilibrium. They only speed up the rate at which equilibrium is reached.

Step 5: Conclude by emphasizing that enzymes primarily affect the rate of the reaction by lowering the activation energy, without altering the ΔG or K_eq of the reaction.