Enzymes at work - concentration effects

Question 1

What does increasing the concentration of substrates do?

Answer 1

• Increasing the concentration increases amount of enzyme-substrate complexes. This is true to a certain point; all active sites are occupied at the same time so concentration doesn’t change.

Question 2

What is equivalent to the highest rate of reaction?

Answer 2

The initial first rate of reaction.

Question 3

What is a limiting factor?

Answer 3

• A limiting factor is something which will not increase the rate of reaction even if more is added it will still not change.

Question 4

Why are enzyme levels low in the body?

Answer 4

• Enzyme levels are low as they’re used multiple times – control of metabolism is based on control of enzyme activity.