Final answer:
The claim about phytochemicals is false; the proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in the body are known as enzymes, not phytochemicals. Enzymes are responsible for lowering the activation energy of biochemical reactions, making processes that sustain life possible at normal body temperatures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Enzymes: The Catalysts of Biochemical Reactions
The statement that all of the chemical reactions in the body require the help of specific proteins called phytochemicals is false. Instead, these chemical reactions are catalyzed by specific proteins known as enzymes. Enzymes are crucial for facilitating the vast array of biochemical reactions that occur in living organisms, from those that need energy (endergonic or anabolic reactions) to those that release energy (exergonic or catabolic reactions). Enzyme proteins, which are usually made up of amino acid chains, operate by lowering the activation energy needed for reactions to occur, thus significantly speeding up the process.
Without enzymes, many reactions would not occur quickly enough to sustain life at the temperatures found within living bodies. Enzymes perform the function of an assembly line, managing and speeding up the cellular processes that are essential for life. It's important to comprehend that while enzymes lower the activation energy, they do not alter the overall free energy (ΔG) of the reactants or final products; they merely make it easier to overcome the energy barrier that inhibits a reaction from proceeding spontaneously.