Here's why:
* Enzymes act as catalysts: Catalysts speed up reactions without being consumed themselves.
* Substrates bind to the active site: The substrate binds to the active site of the enzyme, where the chemical reaction takes place.
* Transformation, not consumption: The enzyme facilitates the conversion of the substrate into the product, but the enzyme itself remains unchanged.
* Reusability: After the reaction, the enzyme can bind to another substrate molecule and catalyze the reaction again.
Think of it like this: Imagine a baker (the enzyme) using flour (the substrate) to make bread (the product). The baker doesn't eat the flour, they just use it to create something new. Similarly, enzymes don't consume the substrate, they facilitate its transformation into a product.
