Question

Activation energy for the acid catalysed hydrolysis of sucrose is 6.22 kJ mol^–1, while the activation energy is only 2.15 kJ mol^–1 when hydrolysis is catalysed by the enzyme sucrase. Explain.

Answer 1

Enzymes are biocatalysts. They reduce the magnitude of activation energy by providing alternative path. In the hydrolysis of sucrose, the enzyme sucrase reduces the activation energy from 6.22 kJ mol^–1 to 2.15 kJ mol^–1. As a result, enzyme catalysed reactions occur at a much faster rate than the ordinary chemical reactions using conventional catalysts.