Question

The free energy of hydrolysis of a peptide bond is typically exergonic but the peptide bond is stable for many years. Why?

Answer 1

In Thermoodynamics, if the energy of products is lower than reactants then the reaction is exergonic and it indicates the reaction is feasible

but in terms of kinetics, the speed of a reaction depends on the energy barrier of the reaction between reactants and products and that energy is called activation energy

If activation energy of the reaction is low, the reaction occcurs fastly

If activation energy of the reaction is high, the reaction occcurs slowly

For the hydrolysis of peptide bond although free energy is -ve it occurs slowly because the activation energy is very high