What is the effect of pH on the activity of the enzyme catalase?

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Lab Report #2: Enzyme Lab

Aim: What is the effect of pH on the activity of the enzyme catalase?

Variables:

Independent: the different amount of drops of Hydrochloric acid (HCL)/Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) and the substances which were tested.

Dependent: The height to which the bubbles rose in the test tube after the addition of liver (measured in millimetres).

Control: Amount of water, (20ml), Hydrogen peroxide (2.5ml) and liver puree (5 drops) in each of the beakers.

Background Information:

In living organisms, many chemical reactions must take place in order for it to function normally. These chemical reactions involve the breaking and reforming of chemical bonds between substrates of the reaction. However, though many chemical reactions occur spontaneously, processes such as the metabolic pathways, involve multiple chemical reactions which have to occur in a specific order. This is where a biological catalysts, known as the enzyme, plays a very important role. You see, enzymes have the task of catalyzing, (or speeding up), chemical reactions in a cell, all so that they can occur in a timely and sequential manner. The enzyme catalase, for instance, has the role of breaking down the toxic Hydrogen