Activation energy for the acid catalysed hydrolysis of sucrose is `6.22 kJ mol^(-1)`, while the activation energy is only `2.15 kJ mol^(-1)` when hydrolysis is catalysed by the enzyme sucrase. Explain.

Explanation

Enzymes act as biocatalysts and reduce the magnitude of activation energy by providing alternative path. In the hydrolysis of sucrose the enzyme sucrose reduces the activation energy from `6.22 kJ mol^(-1)` to `"2.15 kJ mol"^(-1)`.