Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts. They increase the rate of chemical reaction by lowering the activation energy required for reactions to occur. This allows more reactant molecules to have sufficient energy to reach the transition state so that the reaction can proceed more easily.
Activation energy is the energy needed for two or more reactants to come together and trigger a chemical reaction. Some reactions need a great amount of activation energy, which often acts as an obstacle, hindering the reaction between reactants. Enzymes reduce the activation energy that the reactants need to come together and react, increasing the rate of chemical reaction.
There are multiple ways in which enzymes lower the activation energy and increase the rate of chemical reaction:
The rate at which enzymes increase the rate of chemical reaction may be influenced by factors such as temperature, ionic conditions, and the pH of the environment, which can affect the enzyme’s structure and its ability to bind substrates and catalyze reactions.