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The rate of reaction of a typical human enzyme was compared with the rate of reaction of a typical enzyme taken from bacteria that live in hot springs - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 25 - 2002 - Paper 1
Question 25
The rate of reaction of a typical human enzyme was compared with the rate of reaction of a typical enzyme taken from bacteria that live in hot springs. The rates of ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The rate of reaction of a typical human enzyme was compared with the rate of reaction of a typical enzyme taken from bacteria that live in hot springs - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 25 - 2002 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. typical human enzymes fail to act at temperatures above 50°C.
Answer
Human enzymes exhibit a decline in activity at temperatures above 50°C, as shown by the graph where the rate of reaction drops significantly after this point. This indicates that typical human enzymes are likely to denature at temperatures higher than 50°C.
Step 2
B. the optimal temperature for enzymes for both organisms is about 37°C.
Answer
The graph indicates that the human enzyme has an optimal temperature around 37°C, consistent with human body temperature. The bacterial enzyme, however, shows maximum activity at a higher temperature, highlighting that 37°C is not optimal for both.
Step 3
C. a denatured bacterial enzyme would resume activity if reincubated at 40°C.
Answer
From the graph, the bacterial enzyme can retain activity at higher temperatures. If a bacterial enzyme is denatured at high temperatures, it can potentially regain activity upon cooling to around 40°C, where it shows significant reaction rates.
Step 4
D. enzymes from bacteria that live in hot springs withstand temperatures up to 100°C.
Answer
The data suggest that enzymes from bacteria in hot springs are adapted to survive and function at extreme temperatures, with the graph indicating activity remaining at temperatures close to 100°C, confirming their robustness against high thermal conditions.