Alia Gonzalez

17 October 2016
Mrs. Masure
Period 2 Honors Biology
Enzyme Function in Relation to Temperature

I. Introduction

The objective of this lab was to observe the reaction rate of enzymes at different
temperatures by adding catalase to hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is the
product of many chemical reactions in the body, however this can be poisonous to cells.
Catalase, an enzyme found in many living organisms, helps to speed up the chemical
reaction that changes H₂O₂ into water (H₂O) and oxygen gas (O₂). The chemical
equation is as follows:

2H₂O₂→H₂O+O₂

The reactants are H₂O₂ and the products are H₂O and O₂.
In this lab, fungus yeast will be used as a source of catalase. H₂O₂ is a substrate
that perfectly fits into the active sites on the enzyme catalase like a lock and key. The
enzyme then helps to speed up the reaction in which hazardous H₂O₂ breaks down into
H₂O and O₂, which are both essential to life. The effect of temperature on the reaction
will be tested. The temperature of the H₂O₂ will be manipulated. The responding
variable is the rate of the chemical reaction. It was hypothesized that if the H₂O₂’s
temperature is increased, then the rate of reaction will increase, and if the temperature is
decreased, then the rate of reaction will decrease.

II. Procedure

Materials:
● Cold Water ● Hydrogen ● Filter Paper
● Room Peroxide ● Forceps
Temperature ● Yeast Solution ● Goggles
Water ● Beakers ● Stopwatch
● Hot Water ● Test Tubes

Procedure:
1. Measure 190 mL of room temperature water and put it in a beaker.
2. Record the temperature of the water.
3. Add 10 mL of hydrogen peroxide to the water and mix the two liquids.
4. Fill three test tubes about ¾ full with this solution.
5. Use the forceps to soak a piece of filter paper in the yeast solution and drop it
into a test tube. It should sink to the bottom of the tube. Start the stopwatch and
 wait for the filter paper to raise to the top of the test tube due to the oxygen
bubbles formed. Stop the stopwatch and record the time
6. Repeat Step 5 in the other two test tubes.
7. Record the average of the three times.
8. Repeat Steps 1-7 with cold water.
9. Repeat Steps 1-7 with hot water.

Safety Notes:
➢ Be sure to wear closed-toed shoes and tie long hair and loose clothing back
​ ➢ Safety Goggles M ​ UST be worn for this lab since hydrogen peroxide can be
harmful to the eyes if it gets in them.

III. Data & Observations

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

Room 26 seconds 42.5 seconds 33.7 seconds 34 seconds

Temperature
(23℃​ )

Cold Water 34.8 seconds 30.2 seconds 35.8 seconds 33.6 seconds
(18℃​ )

Hot Water 20 seconds 18.8 seconds 19.5 seconds 19.4 seconds

(45℃​ )

Qualitative Observations:
When the filter paper hit the Hydrogen Peroxide Solution, it sunk
almost immediately. Some yeast dripped into the solution before the
paper was fully submerged. This looked like the food coloring being
dropped into water in the image to the right, although at a lesser opacity
and less dramatic. When the paper was just about to shoot to the top of
the water, bubbles could be seen in the test tube. The paper starting to
float sort of looks like a rocket taking off.
c2.staticflickr.com
IV. Analysis & Interpretation

Both increasing and decreasing the temperature decreased the reaction time.
Increasing the temperature decreased it by about 15 seconds and decreasing the
temperature lowered it by 0.4 seconds. However, this is just looking at the averages. In
two of the cold water trials, the reaction time was actually a higher number than the
average reaction time for the room temperature water. Since the two averages were so
close, that could mean that the increase in reaction time for the cold water was due to
human error in either the cold or room temperature water experiment. The warm water’s
average reaction time was 15 seconds faster than that of the room temperature water’s
average reaction rate because the temperature was closer to the optimal temperature for
the enzyme, as shown in the graph below.

V. Conclusion

The hypothesis, “If the H₂O₂’s temperature is increased,

then the rate of reaction will increase, and if the temperature is
decreased, then the rate of reaction will decrease,” was partially
supported and refuted since both increasing and decreasing the
temperature of the H₂O₂ solution increased the rate of reaction.
This could’ve been due to human error in either the room
temperature or cold water experiment as the graph to the left
states that the reaction rate should have decreased when the
temperature decreased. The lab group U ​ pload.wikimedia.org ​could
have started or stopped the stopwatch too late or too early in a trial or the amount of
H₂O₂ solution in the test tubes was different so it took more or less time for the paper to
rise to the top. If this experiment was redone, the time in which the stopwatch was
started should be set when each filter paper sank to a certain point in the test tube and
the amount of liquid in the test tube would have to be measured so it is all the same. To
connect with real life, your body temperature should stay above room temperature to
ensure that the enzymes in it function properly and efficiently.