1. Enzymes catalyze biochemical reactions by lowering the activation energy between reactants and products, increasing reaction rates.
2. The mechanism of enzyme action involves substrate binding to the active site of the enzyme to form an enzyme-substrate complex, which then undergoes a reaction to form products and release the original enzyme.
3. Reaction rates are affected by factors like temperature, pH, substrate and enzyme concentrations, and the presence of inhibitors or activators that can bind to the enzyme and alter its structure and activity.