6. Mammalian catalase will break down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. One milliliter (mL) of catalase is added to a beaker containing 200 mL of hydrogen peroxide. Which of the following scenarios would cause an increase in the rate of the reaction?
Answer: C
Placing the beaker of catalase and hydrogen peroxide in a warm water bath will increase the rate of the reaction.
Increasing the temperature generally enhances the kinetic energy of molecules, leading to more frequent and effective collisions between the catalase and hydrogen peroxide, thus accelerating the reaction rate.
A) Add a noncompetitive inhibitor to the beaker with the catalase and hydrogen peroxide.
Adding a noncompetitive inhibitor would decrease the rate of the reaction. Noncompetitive inhibitors bind to the enzyme regardless of whether the substrate is present, reducing the overall amount of active enzyme available to catalyze the reaction, thereby slowing it down.
B) Add a competitive inhibitor to the beaker with the catalase and hydrogen peroxide.
The introduction of a competitive inhibitor would also hinder the reaction rate. Competitive inhibitors compete with the substrate for the active site on the enzyme, reducing the likelihood of catalase binding to hydrogen peroxide and ultimately slowing the reaction.
C) Place the beaker of catalase and hydrogen peroxide in a warm water bath.
Placing the beaker in a warm water bath increases the temperature of the reaction mixture. This elevated temperature boosts molecular motion, enhancing the likelihood of successful collisions between catalase and hydrogen peroxide, thereby speeding up the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide.
D) Add ice cubes to the reaction beaker.
Adding ice cubes would lower the temperature of the reaction mixture, decreasing the kinetic energy of the molecules involved. This reduction in temperature would lead to fewer effective collisions between catalase and hydrogen peroxide, ultimately resulting in a slower reaction rate.
Conclusion
The correct choice, placing the beaker in a warm water bath, effectively increases the reaction rate by enhancing molecular motion and collision frequency. In contrast, the other options either slow down the reaction through inhibition or reduce molecular energy, demonstrating why they are not suitable for increasing the reaction rate.