The aim of this investigation is to find out what effect pH has on the enzyme Catalase in it breaking down Hydrogen peroxide into Oxygen and Water.

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The effect of pH on the activity of Catalase

Aim:

The aim of this investigation is to find out what effect pH has on the enzyme Catalase in it breaking down Hydrogen peroxide into Oxygen and Water.

Planning:

Before going any further, we need to find out several things such as, what provides a good source of the enzyme Catalase, things about enzymes in general as in what they are, what they do, what things effect enzymes, the structure of enzymes etc.

The enzyme Catalase is found in the human body as well as potatoes, apples, liver and several other things.

So what are enzymes?

Enzymes are biological catalysts. They speed up chemical reactions in all living things, and allow them to occur more efficiently. Although they work powerfully, enzymes are chemical molecules, made up of proteins. Each particular enzyme has its own unique, three-dimensional shape shared by all of the same type of molecules. Within this shape is an area which is the active site where the chemical reactions take place. There are two main types of enzymes:

* Intracellular enzymes- which control reactions that happen inside cells