Name _________________________ Period ______________ Date ______________
Enzymes
Objectives:
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Explain how enzymes affect activation energy.
Describe how an enzyme’s shape is important to its function.
Task:
Use http://www.lewport.wnyric.org/jwanamaker/animations.htm to help you answer the
following questions:
1. Click on Enzyme Activity.
What are enzymes?
2. Click Next.
Finish this statement: Each _____________ has only ________ reaction that it can help.
3. Click Next.
Are enzymes reusable?
4. Click Next.
Can enzymes be used to build polymers (a long chain of monomers)?
5. Click Next.
What characteristic of an enzyme determines its function (HINT: Think of one of the 10
themes of biology.)?
6. Click Next.
Sometimes, enzymes become denatured. This process makes the enzyme less effective or
even useless. What two things can cause denaturalization?
7. Click Next twice. Then click Why Enzymes?. Click Without Enzyme and then Play.
Did the sugar molecules bond together?
Why or why not?
8. Click With Enzyme. Click Play. Watch the animation. Click Play. Read. Click Play.
Watch the animation.
How did the enzyme help the two sugar molecules bond together?
Name _________________________ Period ______________ Date ______________
9. Click Enzyme Menu. Click Specificness. Read each screen and click Play until you
reach the end.
Can enzymes bind any two molecules together?
Why or why not?
10. Click Reusing Enzymes. Watch how a single enzyme links monomers into a polymer.
Click Play until you reach the Enzyme Menu.
What type of polymers can be formed by an enzyme?
11. Click Denaturing. Click Play. Read. Click Play. Read.
What two factors can change the shape of an enzyme?
12. Click Play and read until you reach the Enzyme Menu.
Can an enzyme bind monomers once it has been denatured?
Conclusion: Explain each of the four steps of the enzyme cycle.