Final answer:
A 10°C increase in temperature results in an exponential increase in molecules with the energy necessary for reaction, doubling biochemical reaction rates through the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
A small temperature increase, such as 10°C, can have a large effect on biochemical reaction rates due to the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. This principle stems from the fact that at higher temperatures, more molecules have the kinetic energy necessary to reach or surpass the activation energy required for a chemical reaction to occur. The distribution of molecular speeds broadens at elevated temperatures, meaning a greater fraction of molecules will have higher speeds and, therefore, more kinetic energy to overcome the activation barrier.
As the temperature rises, the most probable speed of molecules increases, and more molecules are able to engage in successful collisions that can lead to the formation of products. The rate of reactions approximately doubles with a 10°C increase in temperature due to this exponential increase in the number of molecules with sufficient energy, despite the average kinetic energy rising to a lesser extent.