Preliminary interpretation of the Arrhenius parameters

Once the activation energy of a reaction is known, it is a simple matter to predict the value of a rate constant at a temperature Tj from its value k, i at another 

For a reaction with an activation energy of 50 kj molan increase in the temperature from 25°C to 37 C (body temperature) corresponds to 

By taking natural antilogarithms (that is, by forming e- ), k 2 = 2.18fcr,. This result corresponds to sKghtly more than a doubling of the rate constant. 

Once we know the molecular Interpretation of the pre-exponentlal factor and the activation energy, we can Identify the strategies that special biological macromolecules adopt to accelerate and regulate the rates of biochemical reactions. 

The simplest interpretation of a chemical reaction is that it takes place when two molecules colhde either in a gas or, more relevantly to biology, as they move through a solution. We shall refine this picture in Chapter 7, but it is adequate for our present purpose. 

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