Question

A researcher is testing the effect of acid rain on living organisms. She takes a tissue sample and places it in acid rainwater, which decreases its pH. As the pH decreases, what will most likely happen to the enzyme reaction rates in the cells of this tissue?

A. They will increase.
B. They will decrease.
C. They will stay the same.
D. They will increase and level off.

Answer 1

When the pH outside the cell decreases, the amount of amino acids transported into the cell will decrease.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the pH outside the cell decreases, the amount of amino acids transported into the cell will decrease. This is because enzymes, which are required for transporting amino acids, have specific pH ranges at which they work optimally. Any deviation from their optimum pH range can affect their activity and decrease the rate of enzyme reactions. As the pH decreases, it becomes more acidic, and this change in pH can denature the enzymes, rendering them less effective or completely inactive in transporting amino acids.