2.2.3

Rate of Reaction

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Factors Affecting the Rate of Enzyme Action

The factors that affect the rate (speed) of enzyme action are:

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Temperature

  • Increasing the temperature of a working enzyme initially increases the reacting activity.
  • Enzymes have an optimum temperature. Once this temperature is reached, the activity decreases.
  • Past a certain temperature, the active site changes shape, and the enzyme is denatured (loses its catalytic activity).
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pH (measure of acidity)

  • Enzymes have an optimum pH (measure of acidity).
  • If the pH changes away from the optimum pH, the enzyme activity decreases.
  • If the pH is too low or too high, the enzyme is denatured and will not function.

Jump to other topics

1Cell Biology

1.1What's in Cells?

1.2Cell Division

1.3Transport in Cells

2Organisation

2.1Principles of Organisation

2.2Enzymes

2.3Circulatory System

2.4Non-Communicable Diseases

2.5Plant Tissues, Organs & Systems

3Infection & Response

4Bioenergetics

5Homeostasis & Response

5.1Homeostasis

5.2The Human Nervous System

5.3Hormonal Coordination in Humans

5.4Plant Hormones

6Inheritance, Variation & Evolution

7Ecology

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