- What are enzymes?
- What are factors that affect enzyme activity?
Virtual Lab
In this lab activity, you will study the enzyme catalase. The substrate, the substance that is acted upon by the
enzyme, is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Catalase accelerates the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water
and oxygen. The formula for this reaction is:
Catalase
2H2O2 ⎯⎯⎯−−−−−−−−⎯⎯⎯→ 2H2O + O2
Catalase
Hydrogen peroxide ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→ water + oxygen
Catalase is found in the peroxisomes of liver and kidney cells of animal cells, in plant storage organs such as
potatoes and the fleshy parts of fruits and in yeast. Catalase is extremely important in the cell because it
prevents the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent, which tends to
disrupt the delicate balance of cell chemistry. If too much hydrogen peroxide accumulates, it will kill the cell.
Objective: The purpose of this lab is to understand the effect of temperature on catalase action.
Instructions:
Watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvQyM6plOgk
Write a lab report with the following components:
● Hypothesis: State your prediction – what effect do you expect catalase to have on the enzyme activity?
● Methods: List the materials used and write the steps of the experiment in detail.
● Results: Write the results of the experiment. It would be ideal to include tables or graphs in this section.
● Conclusion: State your conclusion – how does temperature affect the rate of catalase enzyme activity?