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Introduction to Enzymes
Chemical Equilibrium
The study of a large number of chemical reactions reveals that most do not go to true completion. This is likewise true of enzymatically-catalyzed reactions. This is due to the reversibility of most reactions. In general:
[4]
[5]
where K+1 is the forward reaction rate constant and K-1 is the rate constant for the reverse reaction.
Combining the two reactions gives:
[6]
Applying this general relationship to enzymatic reactions allows the equation:
[7]
Equilbrium, a steady state condition, is reached when the forward reaction rates equal the backward rates. This is the basic equation upon which most enzyme activity studies are based.
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Introduction to Enzymes
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