(a) (i) protein (ii) ribosome (b) (i) name of enzyme (ii) name of substrate (must match enzyme) (iii) water bath or ice or thermosat (iv) buffer (v) time / change (colour, height of foam, etc.) OR sensor / data logger (vi) activity increases or enzyme has an optimum or graph showing increase. - Leaving Cert Biology - Question 7 - 2006

The answer is 'ribosome'. Ribosomes are the molecular machines that synthesize proteins by translating messenger RNA (mRNA) into polypeptides.

The name of the enzyme could vary based on the specific reaction being considered. Common examples include 'catalase', 'amylase', or 'lipase'.

The substrate must correspond to the specific enzyme. For instance, if the enzyme is 'amylase', the substrate would be 'starch'.

To maintain optimal temperature for the enzyme activity, one would typically use a water bath set at a specific temperature or have an ice bath to lower temperatures.

A buffer solution is critical in this context to maintain a stable pH, which is necessary for the enzyme to function effectively.

In experiments measuring enzyme activity, observing changes over time such as color change or foam height is vital, as it indicates the rate of reaction.

The activity of the enzyme typically increases with substrate concentration until it reaches a saturation point. At this point, the graph would plateau, indicating that the enzyme is operating at its maximum efficiency in the reaction.