Catalase Lab

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The specific enzyme being observed in this lab was catalase which breaks down hydrogen peroxide (substrate) into water and the gaseous state of oxygen (product). Due to the fact that there were two experiments completed to measure the changes in the reactions of two different factors (substrate concentration and temperature), there were also two different hypothesis and null hypothesis. The first hypothesis states that the higher percentage of substrate will increase the reaction rate as well. For the second experiment, the hypothesis states that as the temperature rises and falls, the reaction rate will also slow down. While swirling the Erlenmeyer Flask, the solution began to create O2 which travelled through the plastic tubing, into the…show more content…
The reaction was timed from the time that the solutions were mixed until the 10ml of oxygen were produced. From the first experiment, it was observed that the higher the percentage of substrate is present, the quicker the reaction rate will be. It is obvious from the chart that a warm catalase (37C) was the best environment for catalase reactions to occur, having a 77.38 percent of change, and that a boiled catalase (100C) made the reactions nearly impossible, having only a 2.29 rate of reaction. These results proved the hypothesis and can be used in further research on the positive effects of a quicker catalase reaction rate and the reaction rate of other catalyst that are present in our environment. From these results, further experiments can be attempted on various catalase to see the reaction rates in the extreme heat and freezing temperatures in order to show which can be found in different aqueous solutions all around…show more content…
A 600 ml beaker was almost fully filled to the top with water from the sink. Also filled with water was a 10 ml graduated cylinder, but it was overflowing and covered by a thumb so that no air bubbles could form. Once both were filled and brought back to the table and 10ml graduated cylinder was flipped over and put into the beaker, still covered by a thumb to prevent the presence of air bubbles. Once the graduated cylinder was in the beaker and no air bubbles could be seen, the U-shaped glass tube, connected to the plastic tubing, was inserted into the beaker. Once in the beaker, the tip of the U-shaped glass tube was inserted into the upside down graduated cylinder. Also on the table was a 50 ml Erlenmeyer flask which held the various substrate concentrations and catalase/buffer solution. By taking a disposable pipette, 10 ml of catalase/buffer solution followed 10 ml of substrate solution were added to the Erlenmeyer flask and covered immediately by the rubber stopper that was on the other end of the plastic tubing. After the solution was quickly covered by the stopper so that little to no extra oxygen was added, the Erlenmeyer flask was swirled at a controlled, constant pace by grabbing the neck, which enabled the reaction between the two. As soon as the

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