Required Practical: Effect of pH on Amylase

Flashcards covering the required practical investigating the effect of pH on amylase activity, enzyme-substrate dynamics, and experimental sources of inaccuracy.

In the enzyme practical, what is used to control the pH of the reaction mixtures?

Buffer solutions

What chemical breakdown does amylase catalyse in this experiment?

The breakdown of starch into maltose

What does it indicate when iodine in the spotting tile remains orange rather than turning blue-black?

Starch is no longer present because amylase has completely broken it down into maltose.

How is the optimal pH of amylase determined using the spotting tile experiment?

It is the pH at which the colour changes to orange the fastest, representing the fastest rate of reaction.

Why is observing the iodine colour change a source of inaccuracy in this practical?

The colour change is gradual, making it difficult to determine the exact time the reaction is complete.

When all enzymes are saturated and the proportion of amylase exceeds substrate concentration, what acts as the limiting factor?

The concentration of substrate