The number of carbonic acid molecules formed every second in the presence of carbonic anhydrase enzyme

Options

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

Answer

To solve the question regarding the number of carbonic acid molecules formed every second in the presence of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Carbonic Anhydrase**:
- Carbonic anhydrase is an enzyme found in red blood cells (RBCs) that catalyzes the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) and carbonic acid (H2CO3).

2. **Function of Carbonic Anhydrase**:
- The enzyme plays a crucial role in the transport of carbon dioxide in the blood. It helps in the conversion of CO2, which is produced in tissues, into bicarbonate ions that can be carried in the blood.

3. **Turnover Number**:
- The turnover number of an enzyme is the number of substrate molecules converted to product per enzyme molecule per second. For carbonic anhydrase, this turnover number is approximately 6 lakh (600,000) per second.

4. **Carbonic Acid Formation**:
- Since carbonic anhydrase catalyzes the formation of carbonic acid as part of its reaction, we can infer that it produces a significant number of carbonic acid molecules every second.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Based on the turnover number of carbonic anhydrase, we conclude that it forms approximately 6 lakh carbonic acid molecules every second.

### Final Answer:
The number of carbonic acid molecules formed every second in the presence of carbonic anhydrase enzyme is **6 lakh**.

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