The Action of Lipase and Bile Salts On Milk

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THE ACTION OF LIPASE AND BILE SALTS ON MILK

AIM

To investigate the effect of temperature upon the action of lipase. Lipase is an enzyme that digests or breaks down fat into fatty acids and glycerol.

FACTORS INVOLVED

All factors will be kept constant with the exception of temperature that will be varied.

The factors to remain constant include:

  • Concentration of the lipase enzyme
  • Concentration of bile salts
  • Volume of milk in each test tube
  • Volume of phenol phthalein used
  • Volume of NaCO3
  • Concentration of NaCO3

FAIR TEST

A syringe will be used to put the bile salts into each test tube. The same syringe will be used for each test tube. This is to prevent cross-contamination as the syringe will only contain bile salts. Similarly a single syringe will be used to put the enzyme into each test tube. Again this is to prevent cross-contamination as this syringe will only contain the enzyme.

Immediately after the enzyme is added the solution will be stirred thoroughly. This is to encourage all of the enzyme to come into contact with the fat and the bile salts.

The temperature of the solution in each test tube will be regularly monitored by using a thermometer. The temperature of the water bath in each test tube will be regularly monitored by using a thermometer.

The lipase solution will be warmed to the temperature each water bath.

The thermometer will be cleaned after it is removed from each test tube.

A syringe will be used to put each of the components into the test tube. This enables the quantities used to be constant between the test tubes as it is accurate way of measuring.

PREDICTION

Room Temperature

In a previous experiment it was demonstrated that the enzyme will operate at room temperature. The enzyme took 8 minutes to completely digest the fat. It is therefore predicted that the enzyme will operate at room temperature.

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Increase in temperature

It is predicted that the rate of enzyme action will increase in proportion with the increase in temperature. The theory behind this prediction is known as the Kinetic Theory. This states that the higher the temperature is, the more collisions there will be between the substrate (fat) and the enzyme as a result of the increased energy of the enzyme. This means that as the temperature increases more enzyme will come into contact with more substrate and the reaction rate will therefore increase.

Optimum Rate

The enzyme action will reach an optimum rate ...

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