Question

A researcher proposes a model of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction in which a reactant is converted to a product. The model is based on the idea that the reactant passes through a transition state within the enzyme-substrate complex before the reactant is converted to the product.Which of the following statements best helps explain how the enzyme speeds up the reaction?
A. The enzyme’s active site binds to and stabilizes the reactant, which decreases the free-energy change of the reaction.
B. The enzyme’s active site binds to and stabilizes the transition state, which decreases the activation energy of the reaction.
C. The enzyme’s active site binds to and stabilizes the product, which increases the amount of energy released by the reaction.
D. The enzyme’s active site binds to and stabilizes both the reactant and the product at the same time, which increases the reaction’s equilibrium constant.

Answer 1

Answer: The answer is B: The enzyme's active site binds to and stabilizes the transition state, which decreases the activation energy of the reaction.

Explanation: An enzyme is a biological molecule which speeds up the rate of chemical reactions in the body (reactions within cells). They are proteins.

    The transition state is the transition from substrate to product. The molecule is no longer a substrate but also not yet a product.

The enzyme is able to speed up the reaction by stabilizing the transition state. The transition state's energy is also the activation energy in terms of reaction. The activation energy is the minimum energy that is required to break some bonds of the reactants in order to turn them to products.

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