In chemistry, what is an enzyme?

Enzyme are Catalysts produced by living things Catalyst are substance which increase the reaction speed with out being used up or changed in the reaction. Every enzyme has a unique shape that fits onto the substance involved in a reaction

An enzyme is a type of protein that acts as a biological catalyst, which means it speeds up chemical reactions in living organisms without being consumed or altered in the process. Enzymes are essential for many of the chemical reactions that occur in cells and are responsible for the metabolism of food, the replication of DNA, and the movement of muscles, among other functions. Enzymes are highly specific, meaning they only catalyze specific reactions and are selective in the types of molecules they interact with. For example, the enzyme lactase breaks down lactose (a sugar found in milk) into glucose and galactose, but it does not interact with other sugars like fructose or sucrose. Another example is the enzyme, DNA polymerase, which is responsible for the replication of DNA by catalyzing the formation of a new strand of DNA complementary to an existing strand. Enzymes are named by adding the suffix -ase to the substrate they act upon, hence Lactase breaks down lactose, DNA polymerase acts on DNA and so on. In summary, enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms and are specific to certain substrates. They play a vital role in the functioning of living cells and organisms.

An enzyme is a biological catalyst that speeds up a reaction. As it speeds up the reaction, this means that the products of that reaction form much faster.

An enzyme is a protein that is biologically active. It works as a natural catalyst. It’s like a tiny robot which is able to accelerate the rate of a chemical reaction.

Hi Elliot, an enzyme is a biological catalyst that speeds up the rate of reaction by providing a lower alternative energy pathway. This is a model answer for many exam boards but I would still check with your exam board on their specification. Hope this helps!! :)