The benefit of measuring the initial rate of a reaction V₀ is that, at the beginning of a reaction: A) [ES] can be measured accurately. B) changes in [S] are negligible, so [S] can be treated as a constant. C) changes in K_m are negligible, so K_m can be treated as a constant. D) V₀ = V_max. E) varying [S] has no effect on V₀.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Measuring the initial rate of a reaction is beneficial because, at the beginning of a reaction, changes in [S] are negligible, meaning that [S] can be treated as a constant. This allows for a more accurate measurement of the initial rate of the reaction. Option A is incorrect because measuring [ES] is not necessary for determining the initial rate of a reaction. Option C is incorrect because changes in KM may not necessarily be negligible at the beginning of a reaction. Option D is incorrect because V₀ does not immediately equal V_max at the beginning of a reaction, and option E is incorrect because varying [S] can impact the initial rate of a reaction.

The Benefit of Measuring the Initial Rate of a Reaction