What is an advantage of breaking reactions into smaller steps?

Breaking reactions into smaller steps has the advantage of lowering the activation energy required for each individual step. In biochemical pathways, many complex reactions involve multiple intermediate forms known as intermediates. When a reaction proceeds in a series of smaller steps, each step typically has a lower activation energy compared to a single, large reaction that might require a higher energy barrier to overcome all at once.

Lower activation energy means that the reaction can occur more readily and at a faster pace, which is particularly important in biological processes where reactions must occur quickly to support life. Moreover, enzymes in biological systems facilitate these steps, allowing reactions to proceed at temperature and pressure conditions that are compatible with living organisms.

By lowering the activation energy, biological systems can maintain metabolic processes efficiently, providing energy and resources necessary for cellular functions without requiring extreme conditions. This is a fundamental concept in understanding biochemical pathways and how enzymes function to catalyze reactions in living organisms.