The environment has adequate thermal energy to meet the energy of activation requirement. The bonds must have absorbed enough energy to become unstable. Enzymes are described as catalysts, which means that they a. are proteins b. provide activation energy for the reactions they facilitate c. stabilize molecules in the transition state. The enzyme's active site provides a precise fit for the substrate. The substrate's active site provides a precise fit for the enzyme.
Specificity refers to the type of reaction such as hydrolysis or polymerization.
The release of free energy during the hydrolysis of ATP heats the surrounding environment. Its free energy is coupled to an endergonic process via the formation of a phosphorylated intermediate. It is catabolized to carbon dioxide and water. The delta G associated with its hydrolysis is positive. The polar phosphate groups assist in the alignment of polar substrates as they enter an enzyme's active site.