Enzymes are specialized proteins that serve as biological catalysts. Which of the following changes would increase an enzyme’s activity?

Question

Enzymes are specialized proteins that serve as biological catalysts. Which of the following changes would increase an enzyme’s activity?

Raising the temperature

Increasing the enzymes concentration

Decreasing the enzyme’s concentration

Lowering the temperature

Answer 1

To increase an enzyme's activity, you would typically consider the following changes:

1. Raising the temperature: This can increase enzyme activity up to a certain point (the optimum temperature), as higher temperatures generally increase the kinetic energy of molecules, leading to more frequent enzyme-substrate interactions. However, excessively high temperatures can denature the enzyme and decrease activity.

2. Increasing the enzyme’s concentration: This usually increases the rate of reaction, assuming there is a sufficient amount of substrate available. More enzyme molecules lead to more active sites for substrate binding.

3. Decreasing the enzyme’s concentration: This would decrease enzyme activity, as there would be fewer enzyme molecules available to catalyze the reaction.

4. Lowering the temperature: This typically decreases enzymatic activity, as it reduces kinetic energy and the likelihood of enzyme-substrate collisions.

Given these points, the changes that would increase an enzyme's activity are:

• Raising the temperature (to an optimal level).
• Increasing the enzyme’s concentration.

So, both raising the temperature (to a certain extent) and increasing the enzyme's concentration would increase enzyme activity.