Plan: I will use the same time allowance so the enzyme and substrate have the same amount of time in each experiment to react. I will test each temperature three times thus making anonymous readings prominent. I will wash out all apparatus after use to prevent cross contamination. I will make sure the potatoes are cut to the same size so there is the same amount of surface for the substrate to react with. I will use a new batch of 50mlsof hydrogen peroxide each time. I will make sure that the pH conditions are the same each time (pH 7). In this experiment I am choosing to explore one of the factors that effect enzyme activity. I am aware that there are also other factors, which I will have to monitor to make sure the experiment is fair.
Preliminary: I know that factors such as temperature, pH levels, and substrate concentration effect enzyme activity that work at 40oC. So when washing clothes with biological washing powder that contains enzymes, you must wash it at the temperature they instruct other wise the enzymes will denature and not work.
PH levels can also affect enzymes. I found that potato catalyse works best at pH 7, while enzymes such as pepsin in your stomach that requires an acidic pH 9.
If I were to have diluted the substrate concentration then I would’ve had poor results due to there being less substrate for the enzymes to react with.
My Hypothesis: that the enzymes will a temperature at which they peak and will produce the most oxygen.
Elaine Raven
Results: During the experiment I found that the enzyme potato catalyses worked best at 30oC.
I had carried on with the experiment I would’ve had a bell shaped graph. This would’ve shown when the enzyme denatured. When an enzyme denatures the enzyme changes shape and can’t fit into the substrate. This is the lock and key hypothesis.
The graph shows that the enzyme potato catalyse works best (produces the most oxygen at 30oC. All the results are coherent so I can rule out the possibility of any anonymous results.
Evaluation: I feel my experiment was a well controlled, as there were no anonymous results. I feel the experiment was a success. If I could do the experiment again I would use a gas syringe; and do it on a bigger scale leaving leaning the enzymes longer to react leaving me with a full bell graph. This would’ve told me when the enzymes denatured. It was a slightly inaccurate experiment due to it being hard to cut the potato into equal sizes. I would use a gas syringe because it would have measured the amount of oxygen given off accurately.
