Most biological enzymes become denatured when they are heated and lose their ability to catalyze reactions. This process (original enzyme - → denatured enzyme) is endothermic and spontaneous. Which structure, the original enzyme or the denatured enzyme, is more ordered? Explain your reasoning using thermodynamic concepts.

The denatured enzyme is more ordered.

Explanation:

Remember gibbs free energy equation, ∆G = ∆H - T∆S

Now since we aredealing with how ordered the original or denatured enzyme is, we are looking at their entropy.

When change in entropy us positive, then the original enzyme is more ordered but when it is negative, then the denatured enzyme is more ordered.

Making ∆S the subject formula from the equation,

∆S = ∆G-∆H/T

Therefore protein denaturization is both endothermic and spontaneous. Temperature will always be positive.

∆S = (-) - (+) / (+)

∆S = -

Therefore the change in entropy is negative, the enzyme is more ordered and the denatured enzyme is more ordered than the original.

The denatured enzyme is more ordered

Explanation:

Because we want to determine whether the original or denatured enzyme is more ordered, it is an entropy.

Energy equation = ΔG = ΔH - TΔS

if the change in entropy is Positive, original enzyme is more ordered and if the change in original enzyme is negative, the denatured enzyme is more ordered.

ΔS = (ΔG - ΔH) / T

Protein denaturation is endothermic and spontaneous.

since the change in entropy is negative, enzyme become more orderly and the denatured enzyme is more ordered than the original enzyme