enzyme activity - lqc 17b

Question 1

describe why enzyme reactions progress slowly at low temps

Answer 1

both the enzyme and substrate molecules have low kinetic energy, they both move slowly and don’t collide very often, few enzyme- substrate complexes form

Question 2

describe why an increase in temp increases the rate of enzyme controlled reactions

Answer 2

an increase in temp results in an increase in kinetic energy of the enzyme and substrate molecules. the enzyme and substrate complex forms, increased rate in the loss of the substrate and production of the product

Question 3

describe why enzyme activity falls at high temps

Answer 3

at temps above the optimum for the particular enzyme the molecule will vibrate more bonds (ionic, disulfide, hydrogen) holding the specific 3-dimensional shape of active site will break, the active site changes shape. the enzyme is said to be denatured, the substrate will no longer fit to active site, reduced number of enzyme substrate complexes form, reduced formation of product