Describe four possible ways an active site may lower an activation energy barrier.

• By distorting the substrate bonds.
• By creating a charge distribution.
• By reducing reacting entropy change.
• By providing an alternative chemical pathway reaction.

Explanation:

• By distorting the substrate bonds - The substrate bonds determining how much energy is needed to form Enzyme-Substrate complex. Enzyme may distort these bonds to make it easier for formation of E-S complex

• By creating a charge distribution - The enzyme may also create a charge distribution that is opposite to that of the transition state, which decreases the activation energy needed for product to be formed.

• By reducing reaction entropy change - The enzyme distributes some of the energy to the substrate which lowers the transition state and lowering activation energy which means the reaction can proceed as long as a very little energy is present.

• By providing an alternative chemical pathway reaction - The product is formed after E-S complex is formed. The enzyme may increase rate of these reactions by forming new bonds in the ES complex which would otherwise not form without an enzyme.