kinetics of enzyme reactions

Enzyme kinetics studies how enzymes speed up chemical reactions. Enzymes bind to specific molecules called substrates, forming an enzyme-substrate complex that lowers the energy needed for the reaction. The rate of the reaction depends on factors like substrate concentration, enzyme availability, temperature, and pH. Typically, increasing substrate concentration speeds up the reaction until enzymes become saturated, meaning all active sites are occupied. At that point, adding more substrate doesn’t increase the rate. Understanding these dynamics helps explain how enzymes regulate biological processes efficiently and respond to changing conditions in cells.