Question

how can the activation energy of a chemical reaction be lowerd?

Answer 1

Enzymes lower the activation energy of a reaction by binding one of the reactants, called a substrate, and holding it in a way that lowers the activation energy. ... Likewise, an enzyme holds its substrate in such a way that the reaction is much more likely to occur.

Answer 2

The activation energy required to achieve the transition state is a barrier to the formation of product. It is the minimum amount of energy required for a reaction to proceed. This barrier is the reason why the rate of many chemical reactions is very slow without the presence of enzymes, heat, or other catalytic forces. There are two common ways to overcome this barrier and thereby accelerate a chemical reaction.

First, the reactants could be exposed to a large amount of heat. For example, if gasoline is sitting at room temperature, nothing much happens. However, if the gasoline is exposed to a flame or spark, it breaks down rapidly, probably at an explosive rate.

A second strategy is to lower the activation energy barrier. Enzymes lower the activation energy to a point where a small amount of available heat can push the reactants to a transition state.