factors that affect enzymes

• Temperature and pH affect the functioning of enzymes and the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions
• Temperature:

  • Rate of enzyme-controlled reaction increases with temperature initially due to increased kinetic energy of particles leading to more collisions and reactions
  • Rate starts to drop rapidly after about 37 degrees as high temperatures break bonds holding enzymes together, causing the active site to change shape
  • Enzyme denatures around 45 degrees, leading to permanent damage
  • Optimum temperature is the temperature at which the rate of reaction is highest, in this case, 37 degrees
• pH:

  • Measure of acidity that can affect enzymes
  • If pH gets too high or too low, it lowers the rate of reaction
  • Bonds holding enzymes together start to break, causing the active site to change shape
  • Enzyme denatures when the active site changes shape so much that the substrate can't fit at all
  • Optimal pH is the pH at which the enzyme works best, varies depending on the enzyme's normal working environment