Effect of Enzymes on Activation Energy
- Consider trying to push a heavy boulder up a hill.
- The energy you exert to get it moving is like the activation energy needed to start a chemical reaction.
- Without help, this energy barrier can be too high for the reaction to occur quickly.
- This is where enzymes come in.
- The minimum amount of energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.
Think of enzymes as skilled negotiators - they lower the "cost" (energy) needed to get the reaction started.
When Is Activation Energy Low or High?
- When an enzyme is present, activation energy is low because the enzyme stabilizes the transition state, facilitating the reaction.
- This allows reactions to occur more rapidly at a lower temperature, which is essential for life processes that need to occur at body temperature.
- Without an enzyme, the activation energy is high, meaning reactions are slower unless they are heated up, which is not feasible in living organisms.
