Enzyme Activity Lab Report

Enzyme Activity Lab Introduction
By: Ashwin Bindra

Enzymes are necessary for life to exist the way it does. Enzymes help our bodies carry out chemical reactions at the correct speed. Catalase is one such enzyme, “Catalase is a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms exposed to oxygen (such as bacteria, plants, and animals). It catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen”.\(Wikipedia). In other words catalase speeds up the breaking down of hydrogen peroxide, which is a byproduct of reactions in our body. Hydrogen peroxide is very common in our body but, “If it were allowed to build up it would kill us”(Matthey).This shows how necessary enzymes such as catalase to life. Without enzymes reactions that take place in our body could be affected greatly. In our

The temperature of the water shows if the temperature in which catalase reacts in has an effect on the amount of oxygen produced. Every enzyme has an optimum amount of pH, which allows it to have a higher reaction velocity (WBC).The higher the reaction velocity the more reactive the enzyme is. Measuring the different amount of pH solutions and their effect on the amount of oxygen produced can show the optimum pH for catalase and the effect pH has on catalase. The data that these three independent variables will yield will allow us to better understand the effects concentration, temperature and pH have on the enzyme catalase. If catalase reacts at full concentration, 37 degrees celsius and a pH of eight the enzyme catalase will produce more oxygen than if it is at room temperature, a lower concentration and a more acidic base because the higher temperature will allow molecules to move faster and have a higher chance to collide and react, a higher concentration will create a higher enzyme to substrate ratio which allows it to react more and finally a more basic pH will allow it catalase to have a higher reaction