Kylie Watts
Science Coursework
10-1
Science Coursework
Aim: To find out how temperature affects amylase.
Research:
- Amylase converts starch in simple sugars
Amylase is produced in three different places:
- The SALIVARY GLANDS
- The PANCREAS
- The SMALL INTESTINE
- Enzymes break down BIG molecules into smaller ones
- Starch, proteins and fats are BIG molecules which can’t pass through cell walls into the blood.
- Sugars, amino acids and fatty acids/glycerol are much smaller molecules which can pass easily into the blood
- Enzymes act as catalysts to break down the big molecules into the smaller ones
Eight bits of your Grisly Digestive system:
Prediction: I predict that the breakdown of starch will be quicker when the temperature is increased until it exceeds 40ºC. Then the amylase will no longer catalyse the breakdown of starch. This is because amylase is made up of protein molecules and therefore it is easily denatured by heat, losing its shape and no longer able to combine with the starch. I think the rate of breakdown of the starch will increase until this point because the increase in temperature will supply the molecules with more energy to react, and then it will slow down and the rate of reaction will be a lot longer.