Question

1. Relate reaction rate and activation energy to enzymes as a biological equivalency for heat 2.Name 2 other "final electron acceptors" used by bacteria 3.Evaluate the necessity for fermentation if glycolysis is the part of the process that creates ATP

Answer 1

1. Activation energy is the energy needed to activate a certain reaction. Where as the reaction rate depends on the activation energy as, if activation energy is high then the reaction rate is slower. In both cases when there is higher supply of kinetic energy or sufficient amount of thermal energy is supplied to the reaction it results in higher rection rate and faster activation rate. Thus it can be biological equivalent of heat.

2. Olygen and sulphate in anaerobic reaction act as a final electron acceptors beacuse these molecules are highly oxidizing agents.

3. It's necessary for fermentation, glycolysis as the part of the process that generates ATP molecules because in fermentation process the glycolysis (i.e. breakdown of glucose occurs without Oxygen). Since in this anaerobic process NADH doesn't get converted into NAD+ and without the formation of this free radical NAD+ cells can't make possible glycolysis and the ATP generation stops. Therefore the cells convert the NADH into free radical NAD+ thru the process of fermentation, enabling the cell tho produce the necessary ATP for cell function.