2. Enzymes are catalysts. a. How do enzymes affect the rate of a chemical reaction? b. How does an enzyme affect the energy needed for a reaction to occur?

## Step1<br />Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in cells. They do this by lowering the activation energy of a reaction, which is the energy required to start a reaction.<br /><br />## Step2<br />By lowering the activation energy, enzymes allow reactions to occur faster and more efficiently. This is because the lower the activation energy, the more likely the reaction is to occur.<br /><br />## Step3<br />Enzymes also increase the rate of a chemical reaction by providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. This means that the reaction can occur more quickly and with less energy input.<br /><br />## Step4<br />Enzymes do not change the final products of a reaction or the overall energy balance of a reaction. They simply make the reaction happen faster.<br /><br />## Step5<br />Enzymes work by binding to specific molecules called substrates. This binding creates a favorable environment for the reaction to occur.<br /><br />## Step6<br />Enzymes are specific to their substrates, meaning they only work with certain molecules. This is because the shape of the enzyme's active site matches the shape of the substrate it is designed to bind to.<br /><br />## Step7<br />Enzymes are crucial for life because they speed up the chemical reactions that are necessary for life. Without enzymes, these reactions would occur too slowly to sustain life.