MathBench > Cellular Processes

Enzyme Kinetics

The whole beast

This simple graph, as it turns out, actually does correspond to the simplest enzyme kinetic process. I added some more labels: the highest goop production rate is now Vmax, and I put some (hypothetical) numbers on the axes.

graph

Before going on to think about what equation might cause this graph, think about some questions that you can answer using the graph alone.

How many bags do I have to put out to get only 10% of Vmax?

(To make this problem interactive, turn on javascript!)

I think I have the answer: about 10 bags/room

If I put out 20 bags per cubic meter, what rate of production will I get?

(To make this problem interactive, turn on javascript!)

I think I have the answer: about 12 bags/hr

Those were pretty easy. Here is a more conceptual question: If I double the number of bags of chocolate chips, do I double the rate of goop production? Put your mouse over each graph below to see whether this is true:

If you turn on javascript, this becomes a rollover

If you turn on javascript, this becomes a rollover

If you turn on javascript, this becomes a rollover

 

So, sometimes I do double production, but sometimes production is less-than-doubled, and sometimes it is more-than-doubled.

You should remember that "if x doubles, then y doubles" is characteristic of only one particular kind of graph -- a linear function that goes through zero. This graph is not linear! In fact, enzyme kinetics is an examples of a NONLINEAR process.