Each enzyme works fastest at a particular pH because a change in pH
- A. alters the charges on the side chains, changing the shape of the active site
- B. changes the molar mass of the enzyme
- C. removes the substrate from the solution
- D. converts the enzyme into a carbohydrate
Explanation
Excess hydrogen or hydroxide ions interfere with the ionic and hydrogen bonds between side chains, distorting the active site so the substrate no longer fits, and a large shift denatures the enzyme entirely. This is why pepsin works at about pH 2 in the stomach while trypsin needs about pH 8 in the small intestine. Small deviations are reversible, large ones are not.
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