substrate

substrate — noun

1. a natural or artificial surface, layer, or material that provides a base for a l

1.名詞C1
釋義

a natural or artificial surface, layer, or material that provides a base for a living thing such as a plant, fungus, or microbe to grow on or attach itself to

例句

Mosses grow best on a damp substrate such as a rotting log or rocky surface.

collocation: grow on a [type of] substrate

The coral reef provides a hard substrate for many sea creatures to attach themselves to.

collocation: provides a [adjective] substrate

同義詞
  • surface

    more general; does not imply a supporting or growth function

  • base

    focuses on the supporting role; less specific to biological contexts

  • layer

    emphasises the horizontal spread; may not imply biological function

  • medium

    often used for artificial growing environments such as agar or soil mixes

文法句型

substrate + for + noun phrase

substrate + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used in biology, ecology, and gardening to describe the physical surface or material where an organism lives. The substrate can be natural (soil, rock, wood) or artificial (glass, plastic, gel) in laboratory settings.

常見錯誤

❌The plant needs a good substance to grow in.
✅The plant needs a good substrate to grow in.
💡'substance' is a general term for any material; 'substrate' specifically means a base or surface for growth.
❌Fungi grew on the substratum of the forest.
✅Fungi grew on the substrate of the forest floor.
💡'substratum' is a geological term for a layer underneath; 'substrate' is the correct biological term for a growth surface.

2. a specific chemical compound that an enzyme, a protein that speeds up reactions

2.名詞C1
釋義

a specific chemical compound that an enzyme, a protein that speeds up reactions inside living cells, interacts with and converts into one or more different substances

例句

The enzyme lactase breaks down lactose, which is its natural substrate in the human body.

pattern: enzyme + breaks down + its substrate

Noor added a coloured substrate to the glass dish to see whether the enzyme was active.

lab setting: added a [type of] substrate to [equipment]

同義詞
  • reactant

    broader chemical term; not specific to enzyme-catalysed reactions

  • target molecule

    describes the role but is not a standard single-word synonym

反義詞
  • product

    the result of the enzyme acting on the substrate

文法句型

substrate + of + enzyme

use + [noun] + as a substrate

用法筆記

A core term in biochemistry and molecular biology. The relationship is often described as 'lock and key' — each enzyme has a specific substrate shape that fits its active site. Frequently used with the verb 'bind to' (substrate binds to enzyme) and 'convert' (enzyme converts substrate into product).

常見錯誤

❌The enzyme reacted with the substance.
✅The enzyme acted on the substrate and converted it into a product.
💡In biochemistry, enzymes do not simply 'react with' a substrate; they catalyse a specific conversion of the substrate.
❌The substrate is the same as the product.
✅The substrate is the starting material; the product is what the enzyme produces from it.
💡Learners often confuse the input (substrate) with the output (product) of a reaction.