Enzyme Lab

Enzymes are “proteins that help lower the energy necessary to do chemical reactions within the body”. They are considered biological catalyst. When the environment changes, the ability of an enzyme to catalyze a reaction decreases. Very high temperatures can denature enzymes by destroying their bonds and their shapes. Low temperatures, can cause enzymes to slow down and decrease their rate of interaction with substrates. The structure of an enzyme are chains of amino acids, and have a specific shape that allow chemicals to react with the enzyme. Enzymes are natural atoms that altogether speed up the rate of essentially all of the chemical reactions that take place inside cells. A lab was conducted to test the effects of different diets on enzyme

In this diet, as stated in the pink packet, people drink Alkaline water, which has a pH level around 8. This means it is less acidic and has a lower amount of hydrogen ions. This water then helps prevent acid reflux, since the high pH level kills an enzyme called pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down food proteins. Alkaline water is also said to reduce body fat, support the immune system, and achieve better health in general. In this lab, Alkaline water was placed in a test tube that was filled with starch and amylase, which is an enzyme. Another test tube was filled with starch and amylase as well, but instead of Alkaline water it was filled with distilled water. This would help see if the Alkaline water would have a positive test, like the distilled water, or have a negative test, meaning the enzymes did not break down the starch. It would also see if the Alkaline water was more effective than regular water by breaking down the enzymes at a faster rate. To simulate the average body temperature, a glass of water was heated up to be around 98.6 degrees fahrenheit. Once the two test tubes had a few minutes to react, around 3 to 5, Benedict's solution was placed in both. This was an indicator to see if a reaction had occurred, and would change color if one had. The two test tubes were then placed in the water, and sat for around 5 to 6 minutes until a reaction had started to occur. Both the distilled water and the Alkaline

This diet, as stated in the pink packet, is when you start a low carbohydrate, high-fat diet. This diet limits carbohydrates and protein in favor of high-fat foods, and it leads to rapid weight loss. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. In this lab, there is one test tube, which contained amylose, amylase, and low pH water. In another test tube, there was amylose, amylase, and distilled water, instead of low pH water. This helps in seeing if the low pH water would have a positive test, like the distilled water, or have a negative test, which will mean the enzymes did not break down the starch. Benedicts is an indicator in order to see if a reaction occurs. After 5 minutes, Benedict's solution was added to both of the tests tubes, in order to see if there was a color change between the two test tubes. As the data from the lab shown, all throughout the experiment there were color changes, but each experiment had the same color. Both of the test tubes were put on a hot plate at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the normal body temperature. This was done in order to see if a reaction had occurred. The low pH water and the distilled water had altered colors, this means the enzymes in both test tubes had broken down the starch. The Ketogenic diet lab for control and experimental came out positive, this means that the diet is effective. Since the low pH water and the distilled water came