Enzymes Concept Questions

1. State at least three characteristics of enzymes.

2. How do enzymes speed up chemical reactions? (lower activation energy)

3. What term refers to the amount of energy needed to begin a chemical reaction? (activationenergy)

4. Explain why changing the pH and/or salt concentration of a solution containing an enzyme can affect the enzyme activity. (denatures enzyme)

5. Explain how temperature can sometimes increase, sometimes decrease, and sometimes stop enzyme activity. (as temp increases molecules move faster; above optimal temp, enzyme startsto denature; too high a temp can denature enzyme completely)

6. Using an example, describe how most enzymes are named. (often the substrate or what itdoes with -ase ending)

7. How is it that each enzyme catalyses only one specific reaction? (shape of active site isspecific)

8. Discuss the importance of enzymes to the life of a cell. (allow reactions to proceed atbiological temp)

9. What is the purpose of a fever? Explain why a high fever is dangerous. (fever speeds upmetabolic reactions to help combat bacteria because some bacteria are less resistant totemperature changes than human cells. High fever could denature enzymes)

10. When Siamese cats are born, their coloration is very light over their entire body. After many months, an enzyme makes the fur on their ears, paws, tail and nose darken (these parts of the body are cooler than the rest). From what you know about the effect of temperature on enzyme activity, propose a hypothesis that might account for this phenomenon. (the enzyme that converts the pigmentfrom light to dark is only active at the lower temperature)