Final answer:
Proteins are the class of biomolecules that can influence the rate of specific chemical reactions within the living cell.
Step-by-step explanation:
Proteins are the class of biomolecules that can influence the rate of specific chemical reactions within the living cell. Proteins act as biological catalysts, known as enzymes, that speed up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur. Enzymes are involved in many cellular processes such as metabolism and DNA replication. Nucleic acids (such as DNA and RNA), lipids, and carbohydrates do not directly influence the rate of specific chemical reactions in the same way as proteins.