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Article: Enzymes
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- Biology
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Enzymes
Enzymes are incredibly efficient and highly specific biological
catalysts
. In fact, the human body would not exist without enzymes because the chemical reactions required to maintain the body simply would not occur fast enough.
Think about the soda you drank moments ago before hitting the books. The sugar in the soda was converted to CO
2
, H
2
O, and chemical energy within seconds of being absorbed by your cells, and this chemical energy enabled you to see, think, and move. However, the 2.2-kilogram (5-pound) bag of sugar in your kitchen cabinet can sit for years and still not be converted to CO
2
and H
2
O. The net reaction (glucose 6 O
2
→
6 CO
2
+ 6 H
2
O) is the same in both ...