The enzymes will be in a substance called trypsin, and will be mixed together when at the acquired temperature with the substrate which is 2% milk. As long as the enzyme hasn't become denatured at too hotter temperature

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What Are The Effects Of Temperature On Enzyme Activity?

Introduction

        We are trying to discover what effect temperature has on enzyme activity. Hopefully my results will show me that temperature does have some effect on the activity of the enzymes and show me at what temperature enzymes become denatured. I will use 5 different temperatures from 10ºC to 50ºC which will hopefully be enough to supply me with the results I want, these may not show when enzymes become denatured but I may do 1 other temperature once to show when they become denatured .

Variables

        I could change many variables for this experiment; I could change temperature, volume of milk or volume of enzymes, the concentration of milk or enzymes, those could all be used to show an effect on the enzyme activity, however, I am investigating the effects of temperature on enzyme activity so henceforth my variable will be temperature.

Apparatus:

  • 2 x Test tubes, 1 for the milk and one for the trypsin.
  • 1 x test tube rack.
  • 2 x plastic syringes with measuring marks on them, one for the trypsin and one for the milk so they don’t mix before you even start the experiment.
  • 3 x water baths, 30 ºC, 40 ºC and 50 ºC (A fifth may be needed if room temperature is below 20 ºC in your classroom.)
  • 1 x Ice Bath, 10 (A second may be needed if room temperature is above 20 ºC in your classroom.)
  • 1 x timer to time how long it takes for the cross to appear.
  • 7 x thermometer, 1 for the trypsin test tube,  one for the milk and the others for the water baths and ice bath(s)
  • Beaker of trypsin and beaker of milk

Plan 

        I shall be using 5 different temperatures of 10 ºC, 20 ºC, 30 ºC, 40 ºC and 50 ºC to find out what effect temperature has on enzymes and maybe one 60 ºC-70 ºC temperature to see what happens when the enzymes are denatured. The optimum enzyme working temperature is 37 ºC which is body temperature; I feel my temperatures that I am going to use fit well around the optimum as I have some cold and some hot temperatures. The temperatures I have chosen go up in equal blocks of 10 ºC which should make them easy to distinguish between them on the graph. The enzymes will be in a substance called trypsin, and will be mixed together when at the acquired temperature with the substrate which is 2% milk. As long as the enzyme hasn’t become denatured at too hotter temperature then the substrate will enter the active site and cause the milk to turn clearer, we will time how long it takes for the cross we will have drawn on the other side of the test tube to appear to give a more accurate test, or we could use a light sensor but that if extremely complicated but more accurate if you can get it to work, People walking past through the light will cause shadows to fall on the light sensor and cause dips in the line and make for inaccurate results.

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Fair Test

        To make this experiment fair we should:

  1. Make sure the amount of enzymes or milk is precise.
  2. Use the same person to confirm when the substance mixture is clear.
  3. The temperature of the Trypsin and milk should be the same when mixing them.
  4. Make sure you stop the timer as soon as the confirming person says clear or stop.

These are all very important factors, if you do not keep these the same then all the times will be less accurate and will not be able to prove at what temperature it goes ...

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