enzyme activity graphs

Question 1

changing the enzyme concentration

Answer 1

• higher enzyme concentration = more active sites for substrate to bind to
• levels off when all the active sites are filled
• rate of reaction falls when a substrate is turned to a product

Question 2

changing the substrate concentration

Answer 2

• as the substrate concentration increases so does the rate of reaction, the it levels off
• this is because more substrates = more collisions with active sites = faster rate of reaction
• at vmax the graph levels off because all of the active sites are full so the reaction cant go any faster

Question 3

changing the pH

Answer 3

• as the pH increases so does the rate of reaction until pH 7 when the rate of reaction decreases
• this is because after the optimum the enzyme active site denatures and changes shape so the substrate no longer fits

Question 4

changing the temperature

Answer 4

• as the temperature increases so does the rate of reaction because the particles have more kinetic energy so move faster + collide more frequently
• after the optimum the rate of reaction decreases as the temperature increases because the enzyme is denatured