How Different Concentrations of Hydrogen Peroxide Would Affect the Activity of Catalase Essay Example
How different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide would affect the activity of catalase?
1. Variables Independent Concentration of hydrogen peroxide
Dependent Volume of oxygen gas evolved
Control Amount of liver used
Location of liver sample obtained from the liver
Type of liver used
Possible enzymes transferred from hands during making liver homogenate
Deterioration of liver
Endpoint identification
Volume of hydrogen peroxide added
Reading on the syringe
Room temperature
2. Hypothesis
The research question examines how different temperatures would affect the activity of catalase. In order to carry out the investigation, amount of oxygen produced is measured through the apparatus for each temperature.
Hydrogen peroxide is a toxic by-product of metabolism in organism. Thereby it must be quickly degraded or converted. The enzyme catalase catalyses the conversion of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, which are none toxic to organisms. The range of optimum temperatures for animal catalase is between 37oC – 40oC. Therefore the liver homogenate will be stored at 38oC to maintain its maximum activity throughout the experiment.
However substrate concentration is one of factors that affect the rate of enzyme activity. Since the enzyme catalase breaks down hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water, measuring the volume of oxygen gas evolved would indicated the rate of catalase activity. With an increasing concentration of hydrogen peroxide, the volume of gas collected would increasing as there are more substrates for catalase to break down as the study by P. George indicates that the rate of reaction is ‘found to be directly proportional to the enzyme concentration’. But as the study by Evans CA Lovatt suggests ‘above an optimum concentration as the peroxide is increased the reaction proceeds more slowly.’ Thus the data would show diminishing returns in the end as the enzyme would be saturated with an excessive concentration of hydrogen
1. Variables Independent Concentration of hydrogen peroxide
Dependent Volume of oxygen gas evolved
Control Amount of liver used
Location of liver sample obtained from the liver
Type of liver used
Possible enzymes transferred from hands during making liver homogenate
Deterioration of liver
Endpoint identification
Volume of hydrogen peroxide added
Reading on the syringe
Room temperature
2. Hypothesis
The research question examines how different temperatures would affect the activity of catalase. In order to carry out the investigation, amount of oxygen produced is measured through the apparatus for each temperature.
Hydrogen peroxide is a toxic by-product of metabolism in organism. Thereby it must be quickly degraded or converted. The enzyme catalase catalyses the conversion of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, which are none toxic to organisms. The range of optimum temperatures for animal catalase is between 37oC – 40oC. Therefore the liver homogenate will be stored at 38oC to maintain its maximum activity throughout the experiment.
However substrate concentration is one of factors that affect the rate of enzyme activity. Since the enzyme catalase breaks down hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water, measuring the volume of oxygen gas evolved would indicated the rate of catalase activity. With an increasing concentration of hydrogen peroxide, the volume of gas collected would increasing as there are more substrates for catalase to break down as the study by P. George indicates that the rate of reaction is ‘found to be directly proportional to the enzyme concentration’. But as the study by Evans CA Lovatt suggests ‘above an optimum concentration as the peroxide is increased the reaction proceeds more slowly.’ Thus the data would show diminishing returns in the end as the enzyme would be saturated with an excessive concentration of hydrogen