enzymes the effect of temperature on enzyme activity
Enzymes are protein molecules produced by living cells. ... An example of an enzyme is trypsin which in the human body is found in the small intestine. Such an enzyme converts proteins which are large, insoluble molecules into small, soluble polypeptides. In order for this conversion to take place, the enzyme must have its optimum conditions i. ... an optimum pH and an optimum temperature. Enzymes all work best at an optimum temperature that is usually body temperature (37ºC). If the temperature that the enzyme has to work at gets too high above this optimum temperature, it will start to become denatured and therefore it will no longer work on its substrate as the active site has changed shape. Also enzymes usually work best at an optimum pH level which is normally 7 because enzymes are proteins which are damaged by very acidic or very alkaline conditions. An increase in the substrate and enzyme concentrations will also affect the rate at which the enzyme acts on its substrate. ... The active sites of enzymes must fit the substrate on which they act. At high temperatures, the shapes of the active sites are changed and so the substrate can no longer combine with the enzyme. This shows how much enzymes are substrate specific. ... The liver extract contains high amounts of the enzyme catalase so the reactions occur at a very fast rate. It was very important to use catalase from the same sample in each test carried out so that the amount of enzymes is more or less equal in each volume used for each test.