Catalase And Hydrogen Peroxide Reaction Lab Report

Enzymes are protein molecules that are biological catalysts in the human body, meaning that they contribute in the breaking down of certain molecules. Enzymes have a specific active site which the substrate (reactant) that is complementary to will bind with. When the substrate and enzyme bind, an enzyme-substrate complex occurs which means that a reaction takes place. The enzyme acts as a catalyst and breaks the bonds of the substrate. However different enzymes have different optimum pH &temperature values at which they can be active.

Catalase is an important enzyme that protects cells from oxidative damage, which hydrogen peroxide can cause. It is an incredibly efficient enzyme where one catalase molecule can convert millions of hydrogen peroxide molecules each second.

Introduction: Enzymes are essential protein molecules that are used by living organisms to survive (Appleby 2014). They perform chemical reactions with such efficiency that life in the cell is sustainable (Appleby 2014). Without the specialized function to speed up chemical reactions quickly, cells would not be able to live. Also, enzymes do get used up after catalyzation. Every enzyme has a spot on its surface called the active site (Appleby 2014).

Enzymes are central to every biochemical process. Due to their high specificity they are capable of catalyzing hundreds of reactions that signifies their vast practical importance.

Enzymes have things called ‘Active Sites’ this the spot where substrates bind and chemical reaction takes place. Each enzyme has a different shape, this allows the enzyme to receive only one type of

The aim of this study was to test the rate of reactivity of the enzyme catalase on hydrogen peroxide while subject to different concentrations of an inhibitor. The hypothesis was that hydrogen peroxide will be broken down by catalase into hydrogen and oxygen, where a higher concentration of inhibitor will yield less oxygen, resultant of a lower rate of reaction. Crushed potato samples of equal weight were placed in hydrogen peroxide solutions of various temperatures. The results showed that less gas was produced as the concentration of the inhibitor rose. This Is because more enzymes were inhibited, and so less active sites were available for reaction.

Enzymes are biological catalysts, which accelerate the speed of chemical reactions in the body without being used up or changed in the process. Animals and plants contain enzymes which help break down fats, carbohydrates and proteins into smaller molecules the cells can use to get energy and carry out the processes that allow the plant or animal to survive. Without enzymes, most physiological processes would not take place. Hundreds of different types of enzymes are present in plant and animal cells and each is very specific in its function.

generally act as a catalase that initially bring about a chemical reaction.” Enzymes play an

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze (speed up) biological reactions in an organism by lowering the activation energy of a reaction. They do this by either straining the bonds in a molecule so that is easier to break up or by placing separate molecules/elements close to each other so that bonds are formed. Enzyme activity is influenced by an array of different factors such as enzyme concentration, substrate concentration, temperature, pH and inhibitor concentration. All of these affect the rate of reactions of enzymes and some such as temperature, inhibitors and pH can under circumstances cause enzymes to become permanently affected. Catalase is an enzyme found in almost all organisms on earth exposed to Oxygen.

This experiment is designed to analyze how the enzyme catalase activity is affected by the pH levels. The experiment has also been designed to outline all of the directions and the ways by which the observation can be made clearly and accurately. Yeast, will be used as the enzyme and hydrogen peroxide will be used as a substrate. This experiment will be used to determine the effects of the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide versus the rate of reaction of the enzyme catalase.

Introduction:Enzymes are made up of proteins which are produced within living cells and act as catalysts which speed up chemical reactions. They are made up of long chains of amino acids containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Enzymes are structured to be

Enzymes are biological catalysts, which speed up the rate of reaction without being used up during the reaction, which take place in living organisms. They do this by lowering the activation energy. The activation energy is the energy needed to start the reaction.

Hydrogen peroxide is a toxic byproduct of cellular functions. To maintain hydrogen peroxide levels the catalase enzyme deconstructs hydrogen peroxide and reconstructs the reactants into oxygen gas and water. The catalase enzyme is found inside cells of most plants and animals. Regulating the levels of hydrogen peroxide is crucial in homeostasis and analyzing it’s optimal conditions for performance is just as important. To understand the optimal environment for this enzyme, they are put into different environments based off protein activity (enzymes are proteins). Catalase samples will be put into different hydrogen peroxide environments based off pH and temperature. The more active the enzyme, the more oxygen and water it will produce. Enzyme activity can be seen through the release of oxygen in the hydrogen peroxide. Since oxygen cannot be accurately measured, the data will consist of the longevity of the reaction in different environments. If the pH is higher than 7, then the reaction rate will increase due to the ample amount of hydrogen ions in the hydrogen peroxide. However the pH level cannot be higher than 10 or else there will be too many hydrogen atoms in the peroxide for the enzyme to be able to deconstruct them. If the temperature is increased, then the reaction rate will increase due to the ample amount of energy and movement in the hydrogen peroxide and enzyme.

A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of reaction (Jim Clark, 2002) and in which is not effected once the reaction has occurred. Catalase are a form of Catalyst that are intended for converting the Hydrogen Peroxide which is produced by cells, into Water and Oxygen. Catalase are found in organic matter such as the liver and potato. The liver houses harmful toxins such as Hydrogen Peroxide, and is why the there is a high concentration of catalase. The potato has a reduced rate of catalase because of the unsophisticated functions of the organic matter. It was found that the liver contained a higher concentration of catalase compared to the low concentration in the potato. This was due to the function of the liver in the digestive

The structure of catalase is “comprised of four polypeptide chains, with each chain containing more than 500 amino acids. Catalase's four iron-containing groups allow it to interact with hydrogen peroxide molecules” (Smith.) According to Dr. Edward Group, there are many different health benefits that are caused by the function the enzyme catalase. He notes that, “It is so important that it’s found in nearly every living organism on the planet that is exposed to oxygen. This antioxidant enzyme can catalyze the conversion of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is a by-product of cell metabolism, which serves some useful functions including healthy immune