New Senior Secondary Mastering Biology (Second Edition)

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Chapter 4 Enzymes and metabolism

Multiple-choice questions

[10174388] Graph interpretation Mathematical skills

* Directions: The following two questions refer to the graph below, which shows
the energy profile for an enzyme-catalysed reaction.

What does (Q  P) indicate?

A the amount of energy needed to start the enzyme-catalysed reaction
B the amount of energy released during the enzyme-catalysed reaction
C the amount of energy absorbed during the enzyme-catalysed reaction
D the amount of energy stored in the products
B
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New Senior Secondary Mastering Biology (Second Edition) Chapter 4
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Comparison
[10174390]
* Which of the following graphs shows the energy profile of the reaction if the
enzyme is absent?
A B

C D

C
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Short questions

[10174415] Design experiment Data presentation Communication

** Casein is a milk protein and trypsin is a protease that digests casein. When
trypsin is added to a milky-white solution of milk powder, casein is digested and
the solution becomes clear.
You are provided with the following materials and apparatus:
trypsin solution, milk powder solution, water bath, test tubes, test tube rack,
pipettes, thermometer, stop-watch
a Describe how you would perform an experiment to find out the effect of
temperature on the digestion of casein by trypsin. (5 marks)
b Sketch a graph to show the results you would expect to obtain for the
experiment answered in a. (2 marks)

-- answer --
a Pipette 10 cm3 of milk powder solution into one test tube and 1 cm3 of trypsin
solution into another test tube. 1m
Place the two test tubes in a test tube rack inside a water bath at 20 °C. 1m
After 10 minutes, mix the trypsin solution with the milk powder solution. 1m
Record the time taken for the mixture to become clear using a stop-watch. 1m
Repeat the steps above at other temperatures (e.g. 30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C,
70 °C and 80 °C). 1m
(or other reasonable answers)
b

Correct title and axes 1m

Correct shape of curve 1m

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STSE Cross-topic Communication

[10174435]
* Tracy has frequent diarrhoea (watery faeces) and is diagnosed with coeliac
disease. Her doctor told her that she lacked the enzyme for digesting gluten, a
protein found in wheat, but she could digest proteins in meat using other
proteases produced in her body. She was advised not to eat food containing
gluten because gluten could damage the villi in her small intestine. Damaged villi
result in poor absorption of digested food and this in turn causes diarrhoea.

a Using your knowledge of enzymes, explain why proteases produced in the

body of Tracy can digest proteins in meat but not gluten in wheat.
(3 marks)
b How does poor absorption of digested food cause diarrhoea? (4 marks)

-- answer --
a Each enzyme has its unique active site. 1m
Molecules of proteins in meat and gluten in wheat are different in shape. 1m
Proteins in meat can fit into the active sites of the proteases but gluten cannot.
1m
b As less digested food is absorbed into the villi, there is more digested food
present in the lumen of the small intestine.
1m
The water potential in the lumen becomes lower. 1m
This causes water to move from the epithelial cells of the villi to the lumen by
osmosis. 1m
The intestine cannot absorb so much water, thus watery faeces are produced.
1m

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Structured question

[10174464] Scientific investigation Application Graph interpretation

** The cells of many fruits and vegetables such as apples contain the enzyme
catechol oxidase and its substrate catechol. Catechol oxidase and catechol are
present in the cytoplasm and the vacuole respectively. They are involved in the
following reaction which is responsible for the browning in fruits and vegetables.

a Explain why an apple would have a bruise if it is dropped onto the ground.
(3 marks)
b Explain why the following treatment can prevent browning in fruits and
vegetables.
i Mix cut fruits with an antioxidant such as ascorbic acid. (1 mark)
ii Immerse cut vegetables in boiling water for one minute. (1 mark)
In an investigation, 1 cm of catechol oxidase solution was added to 5 cm3 of
3

catechol solution in a boiling tube and the mixture was kept in a water bath at 30
°C. A sample of the mixture was removed every two minutes and its colour
intensity was measured. The graph below shows the results.

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c Describe and explain the changes in colour intensity of the mixture shown
in the graph. (3 marks)
d Draw labelled curves on the graph to show the results you would expect to
obtain if the investigation was repeated
i at 20 °C instead of 30 °C. (1 mark)
ii using 2 cm of 1 cm of catechol oxidase solution.
3 3
(1 mark)

-- answer --
a The vacuole membrane is broken when the apple is dropped. 1m
Catechol oxidase and catechol come into contact, 1m
leading to the production of benzoquinone and then melanin. Melanin makes the
apple bruised. 1m
b i No oxygen is available for converting benzoquinone into melanin. 1m
ii Catechol oxidase is denatured at high temperatures. 1m
c Initially, a large amount of catechol is available. It collides with catechol oxidase
more frequently and this increases the chance of forming enzyme-substrate
complexes. Thus melanin is produced at a higher rate and the colour intensity
increases quickly. 1m
As time goes by, catechol is being used and less catechol is available. It collides
with catechol oxidase less frequently and the chance of forming enzyme-substrate
complexes decreases. Thus melanin is produced at a slower rate and the colour
intensity increases more slowly. 1m

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Finally, catechol is used up in the reaction. No more melanin is formed and the
colour intensity remains unchanged. 1m
d i Compared with the graph provided in the question, the increase in colour
intensity is more slowly but finally reaches the same colour intensity. 1m
ii Compared with the graph provided in the question, the increase in colour
intensity is more quickly but finally reaches the same colour intensity. 1m
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