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Enzymes
DO NOW:

What are the Which What do humans use

monomers which macronutrients carbohydrates for?
make up proteins? are made of
Releasing energy
Amino acids glycerol and fatty
Lipids/triglycerides
for respiration
acids?
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Lesson Objectives

After this topic,

you should know:
• what a catalyst is
• how enzymes
Learning Objectives

work as biological
Specification
catalysts
• what the
metabolism of the
body involves.
 What are enzymes?

Enzymes are biological catalysts. They can speed up a reaction or

make it possible when otherwise it would not have occurred. They are
involved in synthesising and digesting large molecules.

Carbohydrases (e.g. amylase in saliva) digest carbohydrates into

simple sugars.
Proteases (e.g. pepsin in the stomach) digest protein into amino acids.
Lipases digest lipids into glycerol and fatty acids.
 How does an enzyme work?

Enzymes are folded globular proteins.

Enzymes have an active site, the specific part of the enzyme which
binds to the substrate (the substance to be broken down or
synthesised). This must be the correct shape to fit the substrate.
If the shape of the active site is changed, the enzyme will stop
working. The enzyme fits the substrate like a lock fits a key. This is
called the lock and key theory.

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 What do enzymes do?

Enzymes speed up reactions without changing them. They control

the metabolism by catalysing different reactions.

Enzymes can:
• Synthesise large molecules from smaller ones (e.g. cellulose from
glucose)
• Turn one molecule into another one of a similar type (e.g. glucose
to fructose)
• Break down large molecules into smaller ones (e.g. proteins into
amino acids)

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 Assessment Time

What is an enzyme?
A biological catalyst

What are the three main groups of

Carbohydrases, proteases, lipases
enzymes?

Name the theory

Lock of enzyme
and key theory action

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 Task One Choose your task Task Two
All enzymes are
carbohydrates/lipids
/proteins.
This means they are 1. Describe what
made of component happened to the rate
parts called Amylase
of theisreaction
an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of
starch into simple
between sugars. A scientist added some amylase
0 and 10
glucose/fatty to aminutes.
starch suspension and measured the mass of starch
acids/amino acids. present over time. The graph below shows his results.
2. Calculate the average
The region where a rate of reaction over
molecule fits into an this time. Give your
enzyme is known as answer to an
the active site/ appropriate number
substrate/complex. of significant
figures.
 Factors Affecting Rates of Enzyme Action:
Temperature
• As the temperature increases, enzymes
work more effectively until they reach
the optimum (best) temperature.
• Above this temperature, the bonds in
the enzyme are disrupted and its shape
changes. The enzyme can no longer bind
the substrate, as its active site does not
fit it. The enzyme has been denatured.
• If the body’s temperature goes too high
and too many enzymes are denatured,
the body cannot function and death can
occur.
 Factors Affecting Rates of Enzyme Action: pH

Enzymes work best at a specific pH.

This depends on the organism which
produces it – different organisms and
different regions of the body will have
enzymes with different optimum pHs.

If the pH changes too far from the

optimum in either direction, the bonds
in it are disrupted and the active site
changes shape. The enzyme is
permanently denatured.
 Worksheet: Drawing Graphs

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 Summary
I have learnt that:
• Catalysts increase the rate of chemical reactions
without changing chemically themselves.
• Enzymes are biological catalysts and catalyse specific
reactions in living organisms due to the shape of
their active site. This is the lock and key theory of enzyme
action.
• Enzymes are proteins. The amino acid chains are folded to
form the active site, which matches the shape of a specific
substrate molecule.
• The substrate binds to the active site and the reaction is
catalysed by the enzyme.
• Metabolism is the sum of all the reactions in a cell or the
body.

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 Homework
Create a script and a storyboard for an animation showing how enzymes
work.

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