Which of the following claims regarding how temperature affects enzyme activity in living things is true?
Enzyme activity is highest at low temperatures.
Enzyme activity is highest at high temperatures.
Enzyme activity is unaffected by temperature.
Enzyme activity is highest at a specific temperature and decreases at both higher and lower temperatures.
In living things, enzymes operate as biological catalysts for chemical reactions. Temperature is one of many parameters that influence enzyme activity. Since the molecules have more energy and collide more frequently at higher temperatures, the likelihood of successful collisions that trigger reactions rises as the temperature rises.
However, enzymes start to lose their three-dimensional structure, which is necessary for their function, when temperatures rise above a certain point. Enzyme activity diminishes at high temperatures because of this potential for a reduction in activity or full loss of activity.
On the other hand, enzymes have less kinetic energy at low temperatures, which causes the reaction rates to slow down. Low temperatures can result in a reduction in the fluidity of cell membranes, which may affect the movement of products and substrates required for enzyme function.
So, at a particular temperature known as the ideal temperature, where the rate of successful collisions is high enough for effective enzyme activity and before the enzyme starts to denature, enzyme activity is at its peak. Depending on its structure and activity, each enzyme has a different ideal temperature. Enzyme activity declines at temperatures above or below the ideal temperature, and finally, the enzyme denatures or turns inactive.
Option 4 is the correct answer.