An enzyme is a special kind of catalyst. How does it work? a It speeds specific chemical reactions. b It triggers chemical reactions at any pH or temperature. c It slows down specific chemical reactions. d It breaks down and takes part in chemical reactions to form new products.

Answer 1

The correct answer is a) It speeds specific chemical reactions.

Enzymes are biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed. They are specific to particular substrates and can significantly increase the reaction rate without being consumed in the process. While enzymes do have specific optimal conditions (pH and temperature) under which they function best, they do not trigger reactions at any pH or temperature, nor do they slow down reactions or actively break down into new products.