THEORY OF THE TRANSIENT PHASE IN KINETICS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ENZYME SYSTEMS

The steady-state hypothesis is discussed for enzyme systems, and the conditions under which the steady-state equations will be valid over the main course of the reaction are obtained. It is shown that this is so if the substrate is in great excess, and also under several other circumstances. Equations are derived for the kinetic behavior during the transient phase of the reaction. Two-substrate systems, and the special case of catalase, are considered.