Analyze the data and describe how temperature affects the reaction rate of Amylase in 4-5 complete sentences.

1 answer

The temperature significantly affects the reaction rate of amylase, an enzyme responsible for breaking down starch into sugars. Generally, as the temperature increases, the reaction rate of amylase also rises due to enhanced molecular movement, which increases the likelihood of enzyme-substrate collisions. However, this effect continues only up to a certain optimal temperature, typically around 37°C for human amylase. Beyond this optimum temperature, the reaction rate declines sharply due to denaturation of the enzyme, where the heat disrupts the enzyme's active site and alters its structure, rendering it less effective or inactive. Therefore, while moderate increases in temperature can boost amylase activity, extreme temperatures can inhibit its function and reduce reaction efficiency.