The Effect of Temperature on the Breakdown of Starch by the Enzyme Amylase

The Effect of Temperature on the Breakdown of Starch by the Enzyme Amylase

Method

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Equipment

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Ø Iodine solution

Ø Amylase

Ø Starch

Ø Beaker

Ø 2x test tubes

Ø Thermometer

Ø Water baths set to different temperatures

Ø Droplet tray

Ø Dropper

Ø Timer

Starting with the beaker half full with water at 20 degrees (approx.

room temp), using the dropper, get 2 measures of starch in one test

tube and one measure of amylase in the other. Check you get them both

to the same temperature as the water and then mix them both into 1

test tube. At each time interval of 2 minutes take the dropper take a

sample of solution and place the sample in the droplet tray. If the

solution is blue/black there is still starch present. When it turns

brown there is no longer any starch. When the solution is brown stop

the timer and record the result. Repeat the experiment at 30, 40 and

50 degrees.

I will have to be careful to keep my experiment fair. To make sure I

have fair testing I will have to insure that the water is the same

temperature through out each experiment and that the temperature is

accurate. If my water is too cold I can add hot water and if it is too

hot I can add cold water. I will have to also check that the starch

and the amylase are of the same temperature before I mix them. I must

also make sure that I keep the timing accurate and keep my eye on the

timer to make sure that my samples are taken at the right time or I

could have messed up my results. I must also make sure that I have the

correct amount of measurements each time in my test tubes as they may

have a different outcome if I had say, 2 amylase to 1 starch. The only

variable I am going to change throughout the experiment is the