2. Vocabulary
How do cells regulate chemical reaction rates?
Cells use catalysts
Activation Energy – the amount of energy needed to
start the reaction.
Catalysts – is a substance that speeds up a chemical
reaction by reducing the amount of activation energy
required.
3. Catalysts
By using catalysts, chemical reactions will occur
quicker and work faster to make a product.
In general, these are the attributes of catalysts:
They speed up the rate of a reaction
They cannot cause an unfavorable reaction to
occur.
They won’t change the equilibrium
Catalysts are not consumed
Higher temperatures speed up a catalysts
Each catalysts has a pH that it works best at.
4. Enzymes
Most common type of catalysts are enzymes.
Enzyme – Are a protein that catalyzes a biochemical
reaction without changing its own structure or function.
Ex. Enzymes in your saliva help you digest food quicker
