An Experiment To Investigate The Effect Of Hydrogen Peroxide (Substance) Upon Yeast (Catalase)

Authors Avatar

Matthew Chamberlain

Brownhillls Community School

An ExperimenTo Investigate The

EffectOf Hydrogen Peroxide (Substance)

Upon Yeast (Catalase)

Background :

        

Catalase is a protein molecule, thats reactions it catalyses are crucial to life. Catalyses converts Hydrogen Peroxide to water and oxygen. Catalase also uses Hydrogen Peroxide to oxidise toxins including Phenols, Formic Acid, Formaldehyde and Alcohols.

Catalase is an enzyme found in food such as potato, liver and yeast!. It is used for removing Hydrogen Peroxide from cells. Hydrogen Peroxide is the poisonous by -product of metabolism.

The enzyme catalase speeds up the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (2H  O  ). Hydrogen peroxide breaks down into water and oxygen. Equation :

                                  Catalse

            Hydrogen Peroxide                            Water + Oxygen  

  Catalse

                        2H  O                          2H  O +  O  

        It is able to speed up the decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide because the shape of it matches the shape of the Hydrogen Peroxide. This type of is called an anabolic reaction as the Hydrogen Peroxide molecule is broken up into smaller peices.

Join now!

Hydrogen peroxide (2H  O  ) is formed of many cells and is very toxic. It threfore needs breaking down quickly, so the enzyme catalase is very important.

        Whilste the experiment is being conducted some errors may occur that could effect the final results. One possible effector is the heat/temperature.  I know that, in the reaction of the enzyme catalase with hydrogen peroxide, the rate of reaction should double with every 10 degrees Celsius increase in temperature. I know that when conducting my experiment, the change in temperature will not be as high as 10 degrees Celsius, but it may ...

This is a preview of the whole essay