This document provides an introduction to enzymes and their catalytic properties. It states that enzymes are catalysts that increase the rate of chemical reactions without being consumed in the process. Enzymes accelerate reactions by lowering the activation energy needed for products to form and by stabilizing reactant molecules in an orientation that favors product formation. The document gives an example of an enzyme that can accelerate a reaction over a billionfold compared to the uncatalyzed rate. It also describes how enzymes specifically recognize substrates and produce products in high yields, often over 95%, due to their unique structural fit with substrates.