Final answer:
Enzymes function as biological catalysts, speeding up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy without being consumed by the reaction (c). They enable biochemical processes that are essential for life to occur at a rate that supports cellular and bodily functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The function of enzymes is to speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy. Activation energy is the energy necessary to initiate a chemical reaction. Enzymes work as biological catalysts, which means they are not consumed in the reaction and can be used repeatedly. They achieve this by binding to the reactant molecules and altering the way they interact, making it easier for chemical bonds to break and form during the reaction, thus drastically increasing the reaction's speed. For instance, in animal digestion, enzymes break down large food molecules into smaller ones the body can use.
Enzymes are crucial for life because without them, many biochemical reactions would occur too slowly to sustain life processes. They are specialized in their function, normally catalyzing only a few types of reactions, and are made up of proteins, which consist of amino acid chains.