I believe we will be putting more energy into the reaction as we increase the temperature, this means that more collisions will be caused between the water molecules and carbon dioxide. Also, the enzymes will have more chance of landing on an active site and they will move faster.
Enzymes are biological catalysts. Enzymes speed up the chemical reactions, which happen inside living things. Nothing would be able to survive without these because the reactions would be too slow.
Enzymes break down the by-product produced in the cells, for example, in the liver hydrogen peroxide is produced. The enzymes, called catalase, break down the hydrogen peroxide into harmless oxygen and water.
How an enzyme works.
Raising the temperature will increase the random movements of the molecules and increase the chances of substrate enzyme colliding with enough energy to react. But if the temperature is raised too much the enzyme will be destroyed. It is usually at 45 C that enzymes become denatured. This means they loose their specific shape. This means that the reactions will slow down because the enzymes can no longer accept the molecules.
Variables
The aim is to see how the temperature effects the photosynthesis of the comba so that is the variable we will be changing. We will be using temperatures of 10 C, 20 C, 30 C, 40 C, and 50 C.
To keep it a fair test the variables that we will keep the same are:
- Length of cabomba (3cm)
- Distance from light source (straight underneath)
- Amount of water (250ml)
- Time experiment runs (2minutes)
Equipment
- 2ml syringe
- 250ml beaker
- Ray box
- Tin can
- Lead weight
- Small funnel
- Cabomba
- Power pack
- Water of varying temperature
- Clamp stand
- Petri dish
- Stopwatch
- Thermometer
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Kettle
Method
- Collect equipment.
- Put tin can down and place the ray box upside down on top of it.
- Place petri dish on top of that.
- Connect ray box to power pack at 9v.
- Fill beaker with specific temperature of water up to 250ml (5-15 C).
- Add either hotter or colder water to get it to the desired temperature, using a thermometer.
-
Cut a fresh piece of cabomba (3cm). Cut this under the water to stop any air bubbles, which could effect your experiment.
- Clamp the beaker to stop any breakages.
- Put the lead weight and funnel over the cabomba.
10. Fill the syringe with 2ml water making sure there are no air
bubbles.
11. Place the syringe on the top of the funnel under water making
sure there are no air bubbles.
12. Turn the light on and time it for 2minutes.
13. Repeat again twice for 10 C and repeat all steps for the different
Temperatures.
