Catalase Enzyme Experiment

There is a narrow range of conditions in which enzyme activity is at its peak. The conditions that have to be optimal in order for the enzyme to function its best includes pH, temperature and environmental factors. The optimum conditions are often values that correspond with the enzyme’s natural environment. When these external conditions are too extreme, the enzyme can denature. Denaturation is the change in the enzyme’s 3D shape which ultimately reduces the enzyme’s ability to catalyze a reaction. With extremely high temperatures, an enzyme will change shape because the intermolecular forces within the enzyme weaken and it cannot perform the function it usually does. With extremely low temperatures, an enzyme will have a reduced ability to

Effect of temperature on the reaction between the catalase and H2O2

Figure 1 shows that the optimum temperature for catalase to catalyze hydrogen peroxide is around room temperature (30℃) as it has a very fast reaction rate. The overall trend is that temperatures different from 30℃, will make the reaction rate decrease.

Discussion

This experiment supported the hypothesis, since catalase was the most effective with hydrogen peroxide when it was in an environment with a temperature of 30℃. It was expected that an extreme temperature would decrease the rate of reaction and results observed support that idea. With reference to figure 1, the peak performance of catalase was at 30℃, which was the closest to its usual environment of body temperature at 37℃ (Buddies, 2012). Figure 1 depicts that at 0℃ the reaction rate was 3, whereas at 100℃ the reaction rate was 0, meaning that the catalase was denatured. Additionally, figure 1 demonstrates that reaction rate increases as temperature increases until catalase reaches its optimum temperature of 30℃, in which case the reaction rate decreases. Once again, the general trend displayed by this experiment is that reaction rate will increase until an enzyme reaches its optimal temperature, then the reaction rate will

The results from the lab supported the initial hypothesis that catalase will have the highest reaction rate when exposed to a temperature around 37℃ as a reaction rate of 5 was obtained when catalase was at a temperature of 30℃. This lab explains the trend between temperature and reaction rate, as an enzyme’s activity will increase as temperature increases until it reaches the optimal temperature, in which case the activity will start to decrease. Theories like protein structures and intermolecular forces were justified by the results of this lab as well. Moreover, the activity levels of enzymes are greatly impacted by temperature and it should be further investigated through scientific applications with