Enzymes are biological catalysts and made up from protein. Catalysts are substances that speed up the rate of a reaction, without actually being used up itself.

Enzymes have definite shape and are not used up in the reaction. One enzyme can be used many times over. Enzymes can either join or break up two molecules.

The enzyme's specificity arises from its active site, an area with a shape corresponding to part of the molecule with which it reacts (the substrate). The enzyme and the substrate slot together forming an enzyme - substrate complex that allows the reaction to take place, after which the enzyme falls away unaltered.

I predict that low enzyme concentration will lead to the reaction happening at a slower rate. I came to this assumption after considering the collision theory.

‘The Collision Theory attempts to explains how chemical reactions occur and why rates of reaction differ. For a reaction to occur, particles must collide. If the collision causes a chemical change it is referred to as a fruitful collision.’ - Hutchinson Encyclopaedia 2000.

In section one, reaction is increasing in correlation to the amount of enzymes being added. . To be able to reach its full potential rate, the conditions have to be in its advantage. In this case, there are more substrates than active sites available fewer enzymes means the reaction happens at a slower rate.

From the graph, I am able to back up the first part of my theory. The graph has a similar shape to that which I had predicted. It shows clearly that concentration of enzymes have a major influence on the rate at which a reaction takes place.

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