Without an enzyme, about 200 molecules of carbonic acid form in an hour from carbon dioxide and…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Without an enzyme, about molecules of carbonic acid form in an hour from carbon dioxide and water. With carbonic anhydrase, about molecules form every second. How many molecules form in one hour with the enzyme, in millions? By how many million times does the enzyme speed up the reaction?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
An enzyme is a biological catalyst, almost always a protein. The substrate fits the active site: E + S gives ES, then EP, then E + P. The activation energy is the energy needed to reach the transition state. An enzyme lowers it and does not change the energy of the substrate or the product.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The enzyme's rate per hour. molecules, which is million.
Step 2. The speed-up. , which is million times.
Answer: million molecules an hour, and about million times faster.
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