ABSTRACT
Kinetic methods involve the measurement of chemical reactions in a time-dependent manner. Kinetic methods have been classified according to different criteria. The most common classification is based on whether the method involves a catalyst. Enzymes are class of proteins that catalyze reactions with exquisite specificity. Enzyme activity is defined in terms of units, rate of formation of product under given conditions, since the protein content in the enzyme preparation can be misleading—not all of the enzymes in a preparation need be active. Knowledge of the activation energy allows for the extrapolation of a kinetic rate to any temperature. It is the lowering of this activation energy that is at the heart of catalysis and enzymatic reactions. The principal instrumental elements of a kinetic apparatus are the mixing chamber, timing device and control of data acquisition, and detector. In the so-called open systems, there are three approaches to initiating and monitoring reactions: continuous flow, pulse and accelerated flow, and stopped flow.
