Nitrogenase enzymes react with the substrate `N_(2)` with, ………….. hydrogen atoms before releasing product

Options

A. 2
B. 3
C. 6
D. 5

Answer

To solve the question about how many hydrogen atoms nitrogenase enzymes react with when fixing nitrogen, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Function of Nitrogenase**:
- Nitrogenase is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into ammonia (NH₃), which is a form that plants can utilize.

**Hint**: Remember that nitrogenase is crucial for nitrogen fixation in certain bacteria.

2. **Identify the Product of the Reaction**:
- The primary product of the nitrogenase reaction is ammonia (NH₃).

**Hint**: Focus on the chemical composition of ammonia to understand how many hydrogen atoms are involved.

3. **Determine the Amount of Ammonia Produced**:
- The reaction produces two molecules of ammonia (2 NH₃) from one molecule of nitrogen (N₂).

**Hint**: Consider how many hydrogen atoms are in each ammonia molecule.

4. **Calculate the Total Hydrogen Atoms Needed**:
- Each ammonia molecule (NH₃) contains three hydrogen atoms. Therefore, for two ammonia molecules:
- 2 NH₃ = 2 × 3 H = 6 hydrogen atoms.

**Hint**: Multiply the number of hydrogen atoms in one ammonia molecule by the number of ammonia molecules produced.

5. **Conclude the Answer**:
- The nitrogenase enzyme reacts with a total of 6 hydrogen atoms before releasing the product (2 NH₃).

**Hint**: Review the options given in the question to confirm that 6 hydrogen atoms is the correct choice.

### Final Answer:
The nitrogenase enzymes react with **6 hydrogen atoms** before releasing the product.