Amylase is an enzyme. The body uses it to hydrolyse starch into simple sugars that are absorbed quicker and easier.

Prediction

I predict that the hotter you heat the starch with amylase the quicker it will react.

Safety

To make this experiment safe I must wear goggles at all times, make sure the Bunsen burner is connected to the gas correctly, not to keep the thermometer in the beaker for a long period of time and to take my blazer off and keep my tie tucked in.

Fair test

To make this experiment a fair test I must write down the results accurately, set up the equipment properly, I must repeat it 3 times and work out the average for the results properly.

Apparatus

For this experiment I will need a small beaker, three small test tubes, three concentrations of starch (1%, 5%, 10%), amylase, Bunsen burner and a water bath.

Method

1. Collect equipment and set up like the diagram.
2. Pore 1st concentration of starch into a test tube and add 1cm cubed of amylase.
3. Put test tube into a beaker of water and heat the water to first temperature.
4. Do the same with the other two concentrations of starch and add the same amount of amylase.
5. Remember to try all the temperatures you have.
6. Repeat experiment three times with the same measurements.

CONCLUSION

As you can see on my graph the lower the temperature is the longer it takes for the amylase to work, where as if the temperature is higher than 40 degrees the amylase works almost instantly.

  EVALUATION

Altogether I thought the experiment went well.  I followed the method correctly and made sure it was a safe, fair test.  If I had more time I would have repeated the experiment two more times and do five more temperatures to make sure my experiment was as accurate as possible.