Enzyme Activity Experiment Vocabulary

Effect on Temperature on Enzyme Activity

• Catalase Enzyme Experiment

  • Objective: To observe the effect of temperature on the activity of the catalase enzyme.

  • Materials:

    • pH buffer 9 solution

    • Wash-up liquid (1 drop)

    • Celery

    • Water

    • Hydrogen peroxide

    • Ice bath

    • Graduated cylinders

    • Beaker

    • Filter

    • Blender

• Procedure

  1. Preparation of Catalase Extract:

     • Blend celery with water.

     • Filter the mixture into a large beaker to obtain the celery extract containing catalase.

  2. Setting up the Reaction:

     • Add pH buffer 9 solution to a graduated cylinder.

     • Add 1 drop of wash-up liquid to the graduated cylinder. The wash-up liquid helps to trap oxygen, forming foam.

     • Add the filtered celery extract to the graduated cylinder.

     • Add hydrogen peroxide to a smaller graduated cylinder.

  3. Temperature Control:

     • Place both cylinders (one with the reaction mixture and the other with hydrogen peroxide) into an ice bath at 0°C.

     • Remove the cylinders from the ice bath.

     • Add hydrogen peroxide from the smaller cylinder to the celery extract in the larger cylinder.

  4. Observation and Measurement:

     • Observe and record the foam formation over time.

     • Calculate the volume of the foam.

     • Record the volume of foam after 2 minutes.

• Variables

  • Independent Variable: Temperature

  • Dependent Variable: Volume of foam (oxygen produced by catalase activity)

  • Control Variables: pH (maintained at 9), concentration of hydrogen peroxide, amount of celery extract

• Expected Result:

  • Lower temperature (0°C) is expected to result in lower enzyme activity, hence less foam formation compared to higher temperatures (in other trials not detailed in this excerpt).

• Data Recording

  • Record the volume of foam formed after 2 minutes.

    • Example: Foam volume = 7 mm