No amino acid molecule by itself can speed up or catalyze reactions between other molecules; however, when amino acids are joine

Question

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No amino acid molecule by itself can speed up or catalyze reactions between other molecules; however, when amino acids are joine

d together to make a protein with catalytic properties, the new structure (enzymatic protein) can speed up the rate of a specific chemical reaction. What does this illustrate?

Chemistry

2 answers:

Anarel [2.9K] · Answer 1 · 2026-03-01T13:27:13+03:00

Answer:

This indicates that the enzyme is a type of protein.

Explanation:

It is important to remember that proteins are composed of vast numbers of amino acids. Because these amino acids are tiny units, they cannot function as a catalyst on their own.

However, when they form a polymer, the protein enzyme will possess varying shapes, sizes, and both physical and chemical attributes differing from a single monomer.

Additionally, for proteins to function actively, a specific number of amino acids must combine to create a distinct shape suited to interact with another molecule, thus accelerating the chemical reaction and functioning as an enzyme.

castortr0y [3K] · Answer 2 · 2026-03-01T13:28:49+03:00

Answer:

Emergent properties

Explanation:

These are characteristics that arise from the aggregation of smaller components that, independently, do not show any such traits.

Emergent properties apply to collections of items, whether they be atoms, insects, or buildings, which are not present in any of the individual items.

Amino acids are single molecules, but when they combine into enzymes, they exhibit features that the individual amino acids do not have on their own. This perfectly illustrates emergent properties.