Effect of Substrate Concentration on Catalase

Effect of Substrate Concentration on Catalase

Aims

This is an experiment to examine how the concentration of the

substrate Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) affects the rate of reaction of the

enzyme Catalase.

Background Information

Enzymes such as Catalase are protein molecules, which are found in

living cells. They are used to speed up specific reaction within the

cell. They are all very specific as each enzyme just performs one

particular reaction.

Catalase is an enzyme found in food such as potato and liver. It is

used for removing Hydrogen Peroxide from cells. Hydrogen Peroxide is

the poisonous by-product of metabolism. Catalase speeds up the

decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide into water and oxygen as shown in

the equations below.

Formula

It is able to speed up the decomposition of Hydrogen peroxide because

the shape of its active site matches the shape of the Hydrogen

peroxide molecule. This type of reaction where a molecule is broken

down into smaller pieces is called an Anabolic Reaction.

Apparatus Need For The Experiment.

1. 250 cm3 Glass Beakers

2. Glass Thistle Funnel

3. Graduated Measuring Cylinder

4. Cork Borer

5. 250 cm3 Glass Cylinders.

6. Digital Stop clock

7. Scalpel

8. Tap and Distilled Water

9. Plastic rule.

10. Safety Goggles.

Method

To test out how the concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide affects the

rate of reaction first set up the apparatus and prepare the different

concentrations of Hydrogen peroxide as below:

Concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide Volume of Hydrogen Peroxide (cm3)

Volume of Tap Water (cm3)

25 vol 250 0

20 vol 200 50

15 vol 150 100

10 vol 100 150

5 vol 50 200

1. Using the cork borer, take a sample of potato, cut this piece in cm

intervals using the scalpel and plastic rule. Then cut these a further

2 sections, so there is now 5 sections per 1cm piece of potato.