An Investigation into the Effect of the Catalase enzyme on Hydrogen Peroxide.

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An Investigation into the Effect of the Catalase enzyme on Hydrogen Peroxide

PLAN

I am going to investigate the effect of the catalase enzyme on hydrogen peroxide, using starch for the catalase.

Catalase is a biological enzyme which works best between 30 and 40 degrees, like most enzymes. It also has an optimum pH.

Catalase breaks down Hydrogen Peroxide into water and oxygen. Plant and animal cells contain catalase.

Variables

Independent variables are things that I can change. Possible independent variables for this investigation are:

¨ Temperature – the rate of reaction depends on the temperature as enzymes work best at certain temperatures.

¨ Concentration of Catalase (enzyme) – the more concentrated the quicker the reaction.

¨ Concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide – the more concentrated the quicker the reaction.

¨ pH – enzymes have to be at the right pH to work properly.

Dependent variables are things that change because of what I do. In this investigation possible dependent variables are

¨ Volume of gas given off / evolved

¨ Time

I have chosen to measure the volume of oxygen given off over a period of 2.5 minutes, every ten seconds.

I will make my investigation a FAIR TEST by controlling variables:

¨ Concentration – always using 10ml of Hydrogen Peroxide.

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Keeping the pH levels the same

The Temperature always keeping the elements at 22o

 Time – same person timing

If variables were not controlled I would not get accurate results because there would be too many things to measure so it wouldn’t be fair.

Prediction

I predict that the catalase enzyme found in the starch will break down the substrate (Hydrogen Peroxide) quickest when there is 10ml of the starch and It isn’t diluted at all with any water, the enzyme will become denatured if there is more than 10ml of water so molecules of Hydrogen Peroxide won’t be able ...

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