Temperature and Enzymes

Question 1

What does changing the temperature in an enzyme-catalysed reaction do?

Answer 1

Changing the temperature changes the rate of reaction.

Question 2

What does a high temperature do at first?

Answer 2

A high temperature increases the rate of reaction at first, as with any reaction (according to the book).

Question 3

What happens if the enzymes get too hot?

Answer 3

If an enzyme gets too hot, it will denature.

Question 4

What happens when an enzyme gets denatured by becoming too hot?

Answer 4

Some of the bonds holding the enzyme together will break, destroying the enzymes special shape so that it won’t work anymore - they are like puzzle pieces, they only fit to certain other molecules, and if they become the wrong shape they can’t connect anymore.

Question 5

At what temperature do enzymes in the human body normally work best at?

Answer 5

Enzymes in the human body normally work best at 37 degrees Celsius.

Question 6

Describe a graph showing the rate of reaction as the temperature of the enzymes increase.

Answer 6

Question 7

Define the term ‘optimum temperature’.

Answer 7

The optimum temperature is the temperatrue when the enzymes are most active.