In an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, what happens to the activation energy when a competitive inhibitor is present?

A It increases significantly.

B It decreases slightly.

C It remains unchanged.

D It is eliminated.

✓ Correct Answer: Option C

Competitive inhibitors bind to the active site and prevent substrate binding, but they do not alter the enzyme's ability to lower the activation energy for the reaction that *does* occur. They reduce the reaction rate by lowering the effective enzyme concentration.

💡 Why is C) the correct answer?

The correct answer to the question "In an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, what happens to the activation energy when a competitive inhibitor is present?" is Option C: It remains unchanged..

The other options — A) It increases significantly., B) It decreases slightly., D) It is eliminated. — are incorrect for this IB Exam Prep question. As explained above: Competitive inhibitors bind to the active site and prevent substrate binding, but they do not alter the enzyme's ability to lower the activation energy for the reaction that *does* occur. They reduce…

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In an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, what happens to the activation energy when a competitive inhibitor is present?

✓ Correct Answer: Option C

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