You are working with a specific enzyme-catalyzed reaction in the lab. You are a very careful experimentalist, and as a result, at the beginning of each of your experiments, you measure the temperature in the lab. On days 1 through 5, the temperature in the lab was 20oC. Today is day 6 of your experiment, and the temperature in the lab is 30oC. How do you predict that this will alter the rate of your enzyme-catalyzed reaction?

Question

A.  It will decrease the rate
B.  It will increase the rate
C.  It could possibly increase or decrease the rate
D.  it will not affect the rate

Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?

  Gather Content
What do you already know about enzyme rates and temperature? What other information is related to the question?

  Choose Answer
  Do you have all necessary information to make a judgment?

  Reflect on Process
  Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

C.  It could possibly increase or decrease the rate

Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        · The question asks you predict what effect temperature change will have on the rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction.
What type of thinking is required?
        · You are being asked to weigh and judge, or evaluate, which prediction is most plausible from a given change in environmental temperature.

  Gather Content
What do you already know about enzyme rates and temperature? What other information is related to the question?
        · Remember that temperature affects protein structure and function, and as such can influence enzyme rate of reaction because enzymes are proteins. The real question here is to predict how a 10 degree temperature change might affect enzyme reaction rate.  

  Choose Answer
  Do you have all necessary information to make a judgment?
        · Recall that enzyme protein structure and function operates best within a relatively narrow window. Therefore, enzyme reaction rates will fluctuate, depending on the degree of temperature change.
        · The enzyme rates could increase if the 10 degree temperature increase brings the enzyme closer to its optimal temperature. Conversely, enzyme reaction rates could decrease if the optimal temperature is closer to the 20 degree room temperature. Without more information, it is impossible to predict how exactly the enzyme rates will change, so the most acceptable prediction is to say that enzyme reaction rates could increase or decrease.

  Reflect on Process
  Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        · This question asked you to evaluate by predicting the effects of environmental temperature on enzyme reaction rates.
        · If you got the answer correct, good job! If you got an incorrect answer, did you remember that enzymes are proteins, and that temperature affects protein structure and function? Did you recall that enzymes operate best at an optimal temperature? Were you able to determine that enzyme rate could increase or decrease due to the 10 degree environmental temperature change?