Final answer:
The Michaelis-Menten equation is used to describe enzyme kinetics, representing the enzyme-catalyzed conversion of substrates to products and is critical in biochemistry.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation used to describe enzyme kinetics is the Michaelis-Menten equation. This equation is vital in biochemistry for understanding how enzymes catalyze reactions, specifically how they convert substrates (S) into products (P). The core idea behind Michaelis-Menten kinetics is that an enzyme (E) binds to a substrate (S) to form an enzyme-substrate complex (ES), which then converts the substrate into the product and releases the enzyme to catalyze another reaction.
Mathematically, the equation is expressed as V = (Vmax [S]) / (Km + [S]), where Vmax is the maximum rate of the reaction, [S] is the substrate concentration, and Km is the Michaelis-Menten constant, which is the substrate concentration at which the reaction rate is half of Vmax.