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

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 occur. Each enzyme is specific to a particular reaction or type of substrate, allowing it to speed up that specific chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. While enzymes can be influenced by factors such as pH and temperature, they do not typically trigger reactions under all conditions (as stated in option c), nor do they break down or take part in reactions in the way that option b suggests. Option d is incorrect, as it implies that enzymes slow down reactions, which is not their function.