Science
What is Enzymes?
Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts — they speed up chemical reactions in living things without being used up. They make essential reactions, like digesting food, happen fast enough to sustain life.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains enzymes.
Key things to understand
- 1They're proteins that speed up reactions (catalysts).
- 2Each enzyme fits a specific molecule like a lock and key.
- 3They aren't consumed, so they can work over and over.
- 4They power digestion, metabolism, DNA copying, and more.
Frequently asked questions
- What do enzymes do?
- They dramatically speed up specific chemical reactions in the body without being used up.
- How do enzymes work?
- Each binds a specific molecule (its 'substrate') at an active site, lowering the energy needed for the reaction.
- Why are enzymes important?
- Without them, life's reactions (like digestion) would be far too slow to sustain us.