Question

Urea is a product of digestion of proteins and other foods that contain nitrogen. It can react with water and acid to form ammonium ions and bicarbonate ions according to the equation below: (upper N upper h subscript 2) subscript 2 upper C upper O (a q) plus 2 upper h subscript 2 upper o (l) plus upper H superscript plus (a q) right arrow 2 upper N upper H subscript 4 superscript plus (a q) plus upper h upper C upper O subscript 3 superscript minus (a q). The enzyme urease catalyzes this reaction. If urease is added to a solution that contains ammonia and other nitrogen-containing compounds (but no urea), will the urease catalyze any reactions? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Answer:

The urease will not catalyze any reaction.

Explanation:

The hydrolysis reaction of urea is:

(NH₂)₂CO + 2 H₂O + H⁺ ⇒ 2 NH₄⁺ + HCO₃⁻

Urease is an enzyme that catalyzes the urea hydrolysis reaction. Enzymes are very specific referring to the substrates they catalyze. If the solution does not contain urea, the urease will not bind to any of the substances in the solution, so it will not catalyze any reaction in the solution.

Answer 2

Answer:

Urease is an enzyme.

Enzymes are highly specific in the reactions they catalyze.

Enzymes can typically bind only to the substrate(s) for the reaction they catalyze.

If the solution contains no urea, urease will not bind to any of the substances in the solution, so it will not catalyze any reactions in the solution.

Explanation:

Those are the answers.