Question

At 20°C the enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of polysaccharides functions at 1 reaction every 20 microseconds. If this enzyme catalyzes hydrolysis reactions of a very long polysaccharide molecule for 120 microseconds, into how many segments would this long polysaccharide be cut?

Answer 1

The enzyme amylase would cut the long polysaccharide into 6 segments.

Step-by-step explanation:

Enzymes play a crucial role in breaking down macromolecules in our bodies. Specifically, amylase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down polysaccharides such as starch into smaller glucose molecules. Given that the enzyme functions at a rate of 1 reaction every 20 microseconds at 20°C, and it catalyzes the reaction for 120 microseconds, we can calculate the number of segments the long polysaccharide would be cut into.

First, we can determine the number of reactions that occur in 120 microseconds by dividing the total time by the rate of the enzyme: 120 microseconds / 20 microseconds per reaction = 6 reactions.

Since each reaction cuts the polysaccharide into smaller segments, the long polysaccharide would be cut into 6 segments in this case.

Answer 2

Seven segments

Explanation:

As given in the question -

After every twenty microseconds one reaction occurs i.e breakdown of polysaccharides.

This means that after every twenty microseconds the polysaccharides is broken down

The total time for this hydrolysis reaction is
`120` micro seconds

Thus , there will be six phases of division each after every twenty microseconds

After 1st twenty microseconds , total segments is equal to two

After 2nd twenty microseconds , total segments is equal to three

After 3rd twenty microseconds , total segments is equal to four

After 4th twenty microseconds , total segments is equal to five

After 5th twenty microseconds , total segments is equal to six

After 6th twenty microseconds , total segments is equal to seven