Homeostasis 7

Enzymes are protein molecules that speed up the rate of chemical reactions in cells. Enzymes need a specific temp to work at there optimum

• at low tempratures Small increases in temp cause an increase in the frequency and energy of collisions between reactants and enzymes so the rate of reaction increases
• the optimum enzyme activity is reached
• after the optimum enzyme activity is reached the enzymes start to get damanged
• the enzyme becomes denatured its structure is pemanently destroyed and it stops working

The lock and key model- only a molecule with the correct shape can fit into an enzyme like a key(molecule and lock (the enzyme) once the enzyme and molecule are linked the following happens:

• the reaction takes place
• the products are released
• The process is able to start again

The active site- the active site is the place where the molecule fits into the enzyme each enzyme has a diffrent shape so it is highly specific

the shape of the active site can be changed ireversibly by heating the enzyme above  a certain temprature and altering the ph level

this means the molecule can no longer fit and the reaction can't take place