Potato Bubbles: Intro to Enzymes Laboratory _______________ Biology I

Name ________________________________________ Date _________________

Gather Background Information:
Purpose: To learn about the enzyme catalase
Task: Preview the questions on the left side. Use your reading strategies underlining! highlighting!
etc." while you read. #nswer the questions after reading each section.
utcome: #nswer the $re%lab questions in com$lete sentences&
Enzymes are $roteins in living things that s$eed u$
chemical reactions. 'ost of the things you do on a daily basis
( moving! eating! eliminating waste ( involve chemical
reactions. )eft alone! these reactions would ha$$en really
slow or not at all and you would die. *ut enzymes s$eed u$
these reactions so that our bodies can function. *ecause
enzymes s$eed u$ reactions we call them catalysts.
The molecules that enzymes wor+ with are called
substrates. # substrate attaches to the enzyme at a $lace on
the enzyme called the acti!e site. #n enzyme,s active site fits
$erfectly with its substrate li+e a lock and key.
-
-. .hy do we need enzymes/
0. .hy is the relationshi$ between an
enzyme and its substrate com$ared to a
loc+%and%+ey/
1. .hy is it im$ortant for our enzymes
that we +ee$ our body,s tem$erature
and $2 stable/
#n enzyme has to fit together $erfectly with its
substrate. 3o if an enzyme loses its sha$e it won,t wor+
anymore. 3ome things that can ma+e an enzyme lose its sha$e
are changes in tem$erature or $2. .hen an enzyme loses its
sha$e we say that it has denatured.
4n this lab we are going to loo+ at one s$ecific enzyme
( catalase. 5atalase is an enzyme found in almost all living
things. 4t brea+s down hydrogen $ero6ide "
#

#
"! which is a
harmful $roduct of certain metabolic reactions! into water and
o6ygen gas:
#"
#

#
#"
#
$
# %gas&
.e can see this reaction ha$$en by observing the
o6ygen gas bubbles. 4f lots of o6ygen gas bubbles are
$roduced! it means the reaction is ha$$ening quic+ly! and the
catalase enzyme is very active. 4f not a lot or no bubbles are
$roduced! it means the reaction is ha$$ening slowly or not at
all and catalase is not active.
'tate a Problem:
0
7. .hat does the enzyme catalase do/
8. 2ow can we tell if catalase is active
wor+ing"/
Denatured enzyme
Today we will use $otatoes as a source of catalase. .e will $ut the $otatoes into different
tem$eratures and $2s! and mash the $otato to see how the activity of catalase changes.
(irections: 5om$lete the $roblems below by filling in the blan+ s$aces. 4n this lab we will test
three $roblems. .e will test them one at a time! because in a controlled e6$eriment you never
want to change more than _______ thing at a time&
Problem 9-: 2ow does changing the __________________________________ of a $otato
affect the activity of catalase/
Problem 90: 2ow does changing the __________________________________ of a $otato
affect the activity of catalase/
Problem 91: 2ow does _____________________________________________ the $otato
affect the activity of catalase/
"ypothesize %If)Then)Because&:
(irections: 5om$lete the hy$otheses below by circling one of the underlined $hrases and
filling in a reason why
-. 4f 4 boil my $otato then the activity of catalase will increase / decrease / stay the same
because _____________________________________________________________________.
0. 4f 4 $ut my $otato in vinegar an acid" then the activity of catalase will increase / decrease /
stay the same because __________________________________________________________.
1. 4f 4 $ut my $otato in ammonia a base" then the activity of catalase will increase / decrease /
stay the same because __________________________________________________________.
7. 4f 4 mash u$ my $otato then the activity of catalase will increase / decrease / stay the same
because _____________________________________________________________________.
Perform a *ontrolled E+periment
1
(irections: 5om$lete the data table below by filling in your observations for each $otato treatment.
Treatment of Potato bser!ations
,- .a/ potato
#- Boiled potato

0- Potato in !inegar %acid&
1- Potato in ammonia %base&
2- 3ashed up potato
4nalyze .esults and (ra/ *onclusions
7
-. (irections: :ill in the table below with the 8 im$ortant $arts of this e6$eriment:
The Important Part Is) In This E+periment This 5as)
Independent 6ariable
Potato Treatment
tem$erature! $2! mashing"
(ependent 6ariable
E+perimental Group%s&
*ontrol Group
*onstants
(irections: Use the data you collected to answer the following questions in com$lete sentences.
#nswers not in com$lete sentences will not be counted&
0. 2ow did increasing the tem$erature of the $otato affect the activity of catalase/
1. 2ow did changing the $2 of the $otato affect the activity of catalase/
7. 4n which $otato was catalase the most active/ .hy do you thin+ this was/
"5 #1: Enzymes Biology I
8
Name ______________________________ Date _____________________
-. 'atch the enzymes on the left with their substrate on the right:
;N<='; 3U*3T>#T;
i. #.
ii. *.
iii. 5.
iv. D.
0. .hy is the relationshi$ between an enzyme and its substrate com$ared to a loc+ and +ey/
_____________________________________________________________________________
1. 5hanges in tem$erature or $2 can change an enzymes sha$e. .hy will an enzyme no longer
wor+ if it loses its sha$e/ ________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
*7TI78E 7 B4*9)
?
#n e6$eriment was $erformed to test the effect of tem$erature and $2 on the activity of
;nzyme @. The following data was collected during the e6$eriment:
-. .hat the o$timum $2 of enzyme @/ _____________
0. .hat is the o$timum tem$erature of enzyme @/ ________________
1. .hy do you thin+ enzyme @ has low activity at a $2 of -A/
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. ;nzyme @ $erforms critical life functions. Use the data above to e6$lain why a fever of 7A
degrees may be dangerous.
_____________________________________________________________________________
87IT #: Enzymes Lab Biology I
B
(4:'"EET #1: Term I .e!ie/
7ame _____________________________________ (ate: __________
Bellringer
(irections: Use the words below to com$lete the $aragra$h about enzymes.
4cti!ation Energy ;aster Proteins
*atalysts 'peed 8p
;nzymes are ____________________ that act as biological ___________________. This
means that they ____________ _____ chemical reactions in our body. The way enzymes s$eed
u$ reactions is by lowering the ______________________ _______________. 5atalyzed
reactions reactions with an enzyme" ha$$en much _________________ than uncatalyzed
reactions reactions without an enzyme".
(irections: >emember that the sha$e of an enzyme and its substrate is li+e a loc+ and +ey. 4n
the s$ace below! draw the substrate that would fit into each of the following enzymes:
;nzyme 3ubstrate
i.
ii.
iii.
Biology b<ecti!e: 4 can demonstrate how different factors affect enzyme activity
C