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Multiple Choice
How does an enzyme catalyze a reaction?
A
By providing additional reactants for the reaction
B
By increasing the temperature of the reaction
C
By lowering the activation energy of the reaction
D
By changing the equilibrium position of the reaction
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions without being consumed in the process.
Recognize that enzymes work by lowering the activation energy of a reaction, which is the energy barrier that must be overcome for a reaction to proceed.
Visualize the energy profile of a reaction: the activation energy is the peak of the energy barrier that reactants must overcome to form products.
Enzymes stabilize the transition state, which is the high-energy state that reactants must reach before converting into products, thus lowering the activation energy.
Note that while enzymes lower the activation energy, they do not change the overall energy change of the reaction or the equilibrium position; they only make it easier for the reaction to occur.