what might explain the changes you observed in the rate of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction at low and high pH values?
Analysis and Discussion
1. At what pH values was the rate of reaction greatest? ____ At what pH values was the rate lowest? ____ Are these observations consistent with the hypothesis about the effects of acidity you formulated at the end of Part I? ______ What do these observations suggest about the “optimal” range of pH for enzyme catalyzed reactions? State your conclusion in the form of a revised hypothesis. HYPOTHESIS B (Revised): The rate of an enzyme catalyzed reactions is greatest at pH values that are..
. 2. The pH (acidity) of the environment can affect the hydrogen bonds that maintain the shape of an enzyme’s “active site,” the site on the enzyme molecule responsible for binding to its specific substrate(s). At the molecular level, what might explain the changes you observed in the rate of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction at low and high pH values?
3. Consider the effects of pH on these two enzymes. A pH value of 2 is highly acidic, 7 is neutral, and 11 is highly basic.
From these data, do all enzymes necessarily have the same optimal pH? Which one of these two enzymes do you think is more typical of the enzymes found in the human body? Where in the body would you find an enzyme whose optimal pH is 2?