Enzymes do not break structures; instead, they catalyze specific chemical reactions within organisms. Enzymes speed up the rate of chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for a reaction to occur. They do this by providing an alternative pathway for the reaction, allowing it to happen more rapidly at physiological temperatures. Enzymes specifically recognize and bind to substrates, the reactants in a chemical reaction, and facilitate the conversion of these substrates into products. Each enzyme has its unique specificity for particular substrates, and enzymes do not break structures but rather facilitate the formation of new bonds or the cleavage of existing ones within the reactants.