How does temperature affect enzyme activity?

Enzymes are proteins that facilitate biochemical reactions by lowering the activation energy. Temperature plays a significant role in enzyme activity due to its impact on molecular motion and the overall structure of enzymes. At moderate temperatures, enzyme activity typically increases because the kinetic energy of the enzyme and substrate molecules is higher, which leads to more frequent collisions and interactions.

However, when temperatures rise significantly, the chances of enzymes losing their structural integrity increase, a process known as denaturation. High temperatures can disrupt the hydrogen bonds and other interactions that maintain the enzyme's three-dimensional shape, ultimately leading to a loss of function. This means that while a certain temperature range can enhance enzymatic activity, extreme temperatures can severely impair or completely halt that activity by altering the enzyme's structure.

Understanding the delicate balance of temperature is crucial since each enzyme has an optimal temperature range for maximum activity. Thus, option C accurately identifies that extreme temperatures can denature enzymes, highlighting the critical point at which temperature shifts from beneficial to detrimental.