What do enzymes increase in a substrate?

Enzymes are biological catalysts that function by lowering the activation energy required for a chemical reaction to occur. This enables the reaction to proceed faster than it would without the presence of the enzyme. The presence of enzymes does not directly increase the temperature or the activation energy of the substrate. Instead, they facilitate the conversion of substrates into products by stabilizing the transition state, allowing reactions to occur more efficiently.

By lowering the activation energy barrier, enzymes significantly increase the rate at which the reaction takes place, meaning that substrates are converted to products more rapidly. This increased reaction rate is a fundamental characteristic of enzyme activity and is essential for metabolic processes in living organisms, enabling them to function effectively under physiological conditions.

Therefore, the correct answer highlights that enzymes increase the reaction rate of a substrate, enhancing the speed of biochemical reactions and playing a crucial role in various biological functions.