Enzymes increase rate of chemical reaction by

Options

A. lowering energy of activation
B. increasing energy of activation
C. maintaining energy of activation
D. without affecting activation energy but increasing reaction time.

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Activation Energy**:
- Activation energy is the minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur. It is the energy barrier that must be overcome for reactants (substrates) to be transformed into products.

2. **Role of Enzymes**:
- Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms. They do this by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed.

3. **Mechanism of Action**:
- Enzymes lower the activation energy by facilitating the proper orientation and proximity of substrates. They bring substrates together in a way that makes it easier for the reaction to occur.

4. **Result of Lowered Activation Energy**:
- By decreasing the activation energy, enzymes increase the rate of the chemical reaction, allowing it to occur more quickly than it would without the enzyme.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, enzymes increase the rate of chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

**Final Answer**: Enzymes increase the rate of chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

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