The hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is represented by the equation below. This reaction is critically important in cellular biology, but the reaction itself proceeds at a very slow rate. Based on the information given, which of the following best explains why an enzyme (biological catalyst) is required for the reaction to occur at a faster rate?

ATP+ H2O ADP+ Pi
ΔG= -30.5Kj/mol

a. Because ΔG < 0, the hydrolysis of ATP is not thermodynamically favorable. In cells, ΔS is increased by increasing the amount of H2O consumed, resulting in ΔG >0 and an increase in the reaction rate.
b. Because ΔG < 0, the hydrolysis of ATP is not thermodynamically favorable. In cells, enzymes act as catalysts that decrease ΔH for the reaction, resulting in ΔG >0 and an increase in the reaction rate.
c. Although the hydrolysis of ATP is thermodynamically favorable, without a catalyst the reaction occurs at a very slow rate because it has a small activation energy.
d. Although the hydrolysis of ATP is thermodynamically favorable, without a catalyst the reaction occurs at a very slow rate because it has a large activation energy.

d. Although the hydrolysis of ATP is thermodynamically favorable, without a catalyst the reaction occurs at a very slow rate because it has a large activation energy.

Explanation:

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In this case, since negative Gibbs free energies of reaction stand for thermodynamically favored processes, we can immediately rule out choices a. and b.

Moreover, since the reaction is slow without the presence of a catalyst, which the context of biochemistry is an enzyme, we infer that correct choice is d. Although the hydrolysis of ATP is thermodynamically favorable, without a catalyst the reaction occurs at a very slow rate because it has a large activation energy because the higher the activation energy the slower the reaction according to the Arrhenius equation.

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