Final answer:
True, enzymes act as catalysts and are not consumed or altered by the reactions they catalyze. Post-reaction, they return to their original state and can be used in subsequent reactions, making them available for multiple reaction cycles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that after a product is released from its active site, an enzyme can be used again in another reaction because it is not consumed or altered in the reaction is true. Enzymes are biological catalysts that increase the rate of a reaction without being consumed by it. The active site of an enzyme binds to substrate molecules forming an enzyme-substrate complex. This brings the substrates together, properly orienting them for the reaction. Post-reaction, the products are released, and the enzyme returns to its initial state, ready to catalyze additional reactions. This ability to be used repeatedly makes enzymes highly efficient in biological processes.
The induced-fit model of enzyme action accounts for the changes in conformation of both the enzyme and the substrate as they interact, allowing the reaction to proceed. Although the enzyme's active site adapts to the substrate's shape, enzymes are not permanently altered by this interaction and resume their original structure once the reaction is complete. This explains why enzymes persist after catalysis and are available to participate in subsequent reactions.
In summary, enzymes facilitate reactions by lowering the activation energy, and although they can undergo a change in conformation during the binding and catalysis process, they are not themselves changed by the reaction. Therefore, they remain available to catalyze additional reactions, making them a crucial component for various biochemical processes within living organisms.