How does temperature affect the fermentation of yeast?
Chemical reactions within yeast are facilitated by enzymes, which are large organic catalysts. Each enzyme has an “optimal temperature range” — a temperature range at which it performs best. For many enzymes, the optimal temperature range is what we would perceive as warm — about the same as normal internal human body temperature. So: in the warm water, enzymes are within their optimal temperature range, and they catalyze chemical reactions more quickly, therefore the fermentation (which is a series of chemical reactions) proceeds more quickly. http://www.rsc.org/education/teachers/le…
