Michaelis-Menten Visual Simulator

Understanding Michaelis-Menten Kinetics

Michaelis-Menten kinetics helps us understand how enzymes speed up chemical reactions. As substrate concentration increases, the reaction rate (v) also increases, until it begins to level off.

V_max is the maximum rate an enzyme can achieve when fully saturated with substrate. A higher V_max means the enzyme can work faster at full capacity.

K_m is the substrate concentration at which the reaction speed is half of V_max. A lower K_m indicates better enzyme efficiency—it takes less substrate to get going.

v represents the speed of the reaction: how quickly product is formed at a given [S]. A larger v means a faster reaction. For example, increasing V_max raises v at high substrate levels, Increasing K_m may lower v at the same substrate level.

Use this simulator to adjust V_max and K_m with the sliders, and observe how these changes affect the enzyme’s reaction rate.