Without digestive enzymes, you would likely die from starvation waiting for your food to break down into small molecules. Why do reactions occur more quickly when you add enzymes?

Question

Biology

Arabella Mccarthy

16 September, 14:30

Without digestive enzymes, you would likely die from starvation waiting for your food to break down into small molecules. Why do reactions occur more quickly when you add enzymes?

+3

Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Harper Gonzales · Answer 1

Answer: Enzymes lower the activation energy found in food molecules

Explanation:

Food substances like yam, potatoes, egg etc are all made of chemical elements bounded to one another by chemical bonds such as hydrogen bonds, covalent bonds etc

During digestion, these bonds must be broken for carbohydrates to yield glucose, protein to yield amino acids.

Hence, added enzymes lowers the strength of this bonds i. e activation energy, by placing them into their active sites, which is equipped to cleave specific bonds

Thus, digestive reactions are quicker in the presence of enzymes than otherwise.

Issac Whitehead · Answer 2

Answer: Enzymes lower activation energy of reactions. Enzymes bring the reactants closer, it weakens the chemical bond in food and this will make the rate of reaction to move faster.

Explanation:

Enzymes are biological catalysts produced by living organisms that speed up or regulate the rate of reaction.

Enzymes lowers the activation energy, thereby making the reaction to proceed faster.

Digestive enzymes acts of food by weakening the chemical bond in food and lowering activation energy, this aid in proper breakdown of food to release nutrient and prevent starvation.