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Reporting Category 2: Cell Biology and Cellular Processes
Quick questions on Enzymes and biochemical reactions - Virginia Biology SOL Reporting Category 2
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is temperature?Show answer
As temperature rises, molecules move faster and collide more often, so the reaction rate increases up to an optimum (about 37 degrees Celsius, body temperature, for human enzymes). Above the optimum, heat breaks the bonds holding the protein's shape; the active site changes shape and the enzyme denatures, dropping activity sharply, often to zero.
What is pH?Show answer
Each enzyme has an optimum pH at which it works best (for example, stomach pepsin near pH 2, but most enzymes near neutral). Moving too far from the optimum pH also denatures the enzyme by disrupting its shape.
What is concentration?Show answer
Increasing the substrate concentration speeds the reaction until all active sites are busy, after which the rate plateaus. Increasing the enzyme concentration also speeds the reaction if there is enough substrate.
What is q1?Show answer
Explain why a fever that raises body temperature too high can be dangerous at the level of enzymes. [2]
What is q2?Show answer
An enzyme reaction speeds up as more substrate is added, then levels off. Explain the plateau. [2]
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