A student plots free-energy curves for the same reaction with and without an enzyme catalyst.
Which statement best describes the effect of the enzyme shown?
- A
The enzyme converts an endergonic reaction to exergonic
- Bcheck_circle
The enzyme lowers the activation energy but does not change ΔG
- C
The enzyme raises activation energy and lowers ΔG
- D
The enzyme makes the reaction more exergonic
Explanation
Enzymes are catalysts - they reduce the activation energy barrier (Ea) so reactions occur faster, but the start and end energy levels (and therefore ΔG) are unchanged.