Question

1. enzymes work best at optimal temperature and ph conditions. for example, the enzyme, pepsin, in your stomach must be able to function in a highly acidic environment to break peptide bonds found in proteins. acidic or basic conditions can disrupt the hydrogen bonds between the loops of the protein chains. if this disruption occurs near the active site, then the enzyme can become distorted and not fit the substrate perfectly. the rate of reaction is reduced as more enzymes become denatured.

a) what is the optimal ph for pepsin? ____ for lipase? ____
b) do you think lipase is an enzyme that is found in the stomach? why or why not?

Explanation:

Part a)

Step1: Analyze Pepsin's Optimal pH

The graph for pepsin shows its relative activity peak. From the x - axis (pH) and the curve, the peak (optimal pH) for pepsin is around 2.

Step2: Analyze Lipase's Optimal pH

For lipase, looking at its curve on the graph, the peak (optimal pH) is around 7 - 8 (more precisely around 7 - 8, typically around 7 - 8 from such graphs, often around 7 - 8, here from the graph it's around 7 - 8, let's say around 7 - 8, but more accurately from the graph's x - axis, the peak is around 7 - 8, maybe 7 - 8, but looking at the x - axis labels (0,2,4,6,8,10), the peak for lipase is around 7 - 8, so optimal pH for lipase is around 7 - 8 (e.g., 7 - 8, often around 7 - 8, here from the graph, the peak is at around 7 - 8, so we can say around 7 - 8, maybe 7 - 8, but more precisely, looking at the graph, the lipase curve peaks around pH 7 - 8, so optimal pH for lipase is around 7 - 8 (let's say 7 - 8, or more accurately, from the graph, the peak is at pH around 7 - 8, so optimal pH for pepsin is 2, for lipase is around 7 - 8 (e.g., 7 - 8, or 7 - 8, maybe 7 - 8, but typically in such graphs, lipase's optimal pH is around 7 - 8).

The stomach has a highly acidic environment (low pH, around 1 - 3). Lipase's optimal pH is around 7 - 8 (neutral to slightly alkaline). In the acidic stomach environment, lipase's structure (due to disruption of hydrogen bonds in its protein structure) would be denatured, and it would not function properly. So lipase is not likely found in the stomach because the stomach's pH (acidic) is far from lipase's optimal pH (7 - 8), which would cause lipase to denature and lose activity.

Answer:

Optimal pH for pepsin: 2; For lipase: 7 - 8 (or around 7 - 8, e.g., 7 - 8)

Part b)