Final answer:
Sucrase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose into glucose and fructose, a reaction essential for carbohydrate digestion in the small intestine, following a first-order rate law. Lactase is another digestive enzyme for lactose, but many adults have lactase deficiency, resulting in lactose intolerance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enzyme sucrase is responsible for the hydrolysis of the disaccharide sucrose into the monosaccharides glucose and fructose. This enzymatic activity is vital for carbohydrate digestion, particularly in the duodenum where it plays a role in breaking down sugars for absorption.
The reaction C12H22O11 + H2O → C6H12O6 + C6H12O6 follows a first-order rate law, indicating that the rate of sucrose breakdown is proportional to its concentration. Enzymes like sucrase work as biological catalysts to speed up reactions that otherwise happen too slowly to meet the body's needs.
While sucrase efficiently breaks down sucrose, another enzyme, lactase, is necessary for the digestion of lactose found in milk into glucose and galactose. However, many adults suffer from lactose intolerance, a condition where insufficient lactase is produced, leading to difficulties in digesting unfermented dairy products.