CAIE A Level Biology 9700 · Enzymes
A student investigated the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction of a protease enzyme. The enzyme was mixed with a casein substrate and the rate of product formation was measured at each temperature. The results are shown in the table.
| Temperature / °C | Rate of reaction / arbitrary units |
|---|---|
| 10 | 2.1 |
| 20 | 5.3 |
| 30 | 9.8 |
| 40 | 12.5 |
| 50 | 8.6 |
| 60 | 1.4 |
Explain the effect of temperature on the activity of this enzyme.
5 marks, so the mark scheme is looking for about 5 separate creditworthy points. Making the same point twice in different words earns it once.
Explain means: Give the reasons or the mechanism: why or how something happens. Link each point to the next with because, so or which means. A list of facts with no links usually loses the reasoning marks.
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