GCSE Biology for You, Fifth Edition

Answers to end-of-chapter questions

Cells and life processes
  Chapter 3 Enzymes

It is very important that you are able to answer the questions on your own, using your own knowledge
of Biology. Have a go at the questions first, and then check your answers using this page. If you get a
question wrong, try to work out where you have made an error.

1 a) Speed, reactions
b) Specific
c) Active, enzyme
d) Temperature, increases, denatures
e) Small
2 a) Proteins
b) i) Carbohydrases
ii)  Proteases
iii) Lipases
c) i)  Simple sugars
ii)  Amino acids
iii)  Fatty acids and glycerol
3 a) An enzyme is specific for a particular substrate because that substrate has a complimentary shape to fit
the active site.
b) An enzyme is denatured at high temperatures because the three-dimensional structure of the active site
is changed and the substrate can no longer fit into it.
c) The enzyme and substrate come together at the active site to form an enzyme–substrate complex.
The products are formed and released from the active site so it is free to engage with more substrate
molecules.
4 a) 40 °C/a few degrees either side of 40 °C.
b) The temperature is too low for enzyme action. There will not be much kinetic energy so molecules of
enzyme substrate are less likely to collide. So the colour of the indicator remains red.
c) The enzyme would have been denatured at 100 °C, so no reaction will take place and the colour of the
indicator remains red.
d) In test-tube 1, the enzyme will start to work as the temperature rises and the indicator will turn to
yellow. In test-tube 5, the enzyme is permanently denatured, no reaction will take place and the
indicator will remain red.
5 a) An increase in enzyme concentration would result in an increase in the rate of reaction because more
active sites would be available into which the substrate molecules could fit and reactions take place.
b) A decrease in temperature would bring about a decrease in the rate of reaction. There would be less
kinetic energy and so less collision of enzyme and substrate molecules.
c) A lowering of pH would probably lead to a decrease in the rate of reaction. Low or high pH can lead to
a change in the structure of the active site and denaturation of the enzyme.

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6 a) The protease enzyme pepsin broke down the protein in the egg white so the contents of test-tube
A are clear.
b) No protease enzyme was present to break down the protein in the egg white so the contents of the
test-tube stayed cloudy.
c) Increase the temperature.
d) Amino acids/peptides
7 a) i)  Between X and Y the rate of reaction increases with an increase in temperature.
ii)  Between Y and Z the rate of reaction decreases with a further increase in temperature.
b) Increasing the temperature increases the kinetic energy bringing about a greater number of collisions
between enzyme and substrate molecules so the rate of reaction increases.
c) The three-dimensional structure of the active site has changed and the enzyme is denatured, so the rate
of reaction decreases rapidly.
d) Enzyme A
e) Enzyme B
f) Each enzyme is active over a very narrow range of pH.
8 a) The enzyme acts at low temperatures and its pH is neutral.
b) The products – carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water – are not harmful to the environment.
c) Highly acidic or highly alkaline washing powder might be harmful to the skin.

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