Name:
Date: 03/20/2013
Lab: #
Purpose of this lab: To test for the effects of temperature on catalase activity.
Introduction: Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts and help complex reactions to occur everywhere in life. Enzymes affect a chemical reaction by acting as a catalyst, which is to say, it speeds up the reaction. However, extreme ph and temperature hinders enzyme function. Optimal activity of an enzyme is the optimal environment that an enzyme requires to function, which means having the optimum ph and temperature to catalyze a reaction at a rapid pace.
In this lab experiment, three different chemicals, each with a different pH level was used to check the effect of pH in the catalase activity. In this experiment the catalase was used as control, it was derived from potato juice,
The enzyme in this experiment was catalase, which was extracted from potato and liver. The reactant in this experiment was hydrogen peroxide and it was added to the enzyme after the enzyme was put through different environments.
Materials and Methods:
4 Test tube
Catalase
Hydrogen peroxide
Ice cold bucket
Incubator
Boiling flask
Heater
Coloring pencil
Ruler
In the lab, four test tubes were used. They were numbered one through three and each test tube was marked at 1cm, 3 cm and 7 cm marks. The catalase was added to each test tube to the 1 cm mark. Then HCl was added in the first test tube till it reached the 3cm mark. The same measurements were used to fill the second and third test tubes, where distilled water was added to the second test tube and NAOH to the third test tube. Each test tube was let to set on the rack for 5 minutes, after which H2O2 was added to each test tube to the 7 cm mark. Each test tube was swirled post H2O2 addition and set on the rack for 20 seconds before measuring the height of the bubbles formed by the reaction.
References: Wright, O. (n.d.). Catalase faq. Retrieved from http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/science_fair_projects/105/901/69adbb37c02f0fb4f8b674fbae189d9f.html