Chemical Reactions and Enzymes www.missionhillshigh.org
Chemical Reactions Reactants Product Reactions begin with reactants and result in products CO2 + H20 H2CO3 Reactants Product
Chemical reactions always involve changes in the chemical bonds that join atoms in compounds.
Energy in Reactions Most chemical reactions require energy to get started. Chemists call the energy required to start a reaction “Activation Energy”
Catalysts and Enzymes A catalyst is a substance that speeds up chemical reactions. Lighter Fluid is a catalyst for a campfire. Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts by speeding up chemical reactions that take place in cells.
Substrates Reactants that an enzyme works on are called substrates.