Investigating the Effect of Ph on the Activity of the Enzyme Catalase.
Investigating the effect of pH on the activity of the enzyme catalase.
Introduction
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a very pale blue liquid which appears colourless in a dilute solution, slightly more viscous than water. It is a weak acid. It has strong oxidizing properties and is therefore a powerful bleaching agent that is mostly used for bleaching paper.
Catalase is a common enzyme found in all living organisms. Its functions include the conversion of Hydrogen Peroxide, a powerful and potentially harmful oxidizing agent, to water and oxygen. One molecule of catalase can convert millions of molecules of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen per second.
Liver and other living tissues contain the enzyme catalase. Hydrogen peroxide, which is a harmful by-product of the process of cellular respiration is broken down if it builds up in concentration in the cells. If we use potato or other tissue containing this enzyme, we can use this to measure the relative influence of varying different factors on the activity of enzymes in living tissue, the factor I will be investigating in my coursework is the activity of pH.
Aim
The aim of my investigation is to find out how different pH’s will affect the enzyme activity and how this will affect the rate of reaction. Extremely high or low pH values generally result in complete loss of activity for most enzymes. pH is also a factor in
the stability of enzymes. As with activity, for each enzyme there is also a region of pH optimal stability.
I will also be measuring the rate at which oxygen is evolved and how it reflects the activity of the enzyme catalase.
Enzymes are generally globular proteins that have primary, secondary, tertiary and maybe quaternary structures. They are biological catalysts that can speed up a reaction rapidly. Enzymes are usually very specific as to which reactions they catalyse and the substrates that are involved in these reactions. Complimentary shape, charge and hydrophilic/hydrophobic
Introduction
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a very pale blue liquid which appears colourless in a dilute solution, slightly more viscous than water. It is a weak acid. It has strong oxidizing properties and is therefore a powerful bleaching agent that is mostly used for bleaching paper.
Catalase is a common enzyme found in all living organisms. Its functions include the conversion of Hydrogen Peroxide, a powerful and potentially harmful oxidizing agent, to water and oxygen. One molecule of catalase can convert millions of molecules of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen per second.
Liver and other living tissues contain the enzyme catalase. Hydrogen peroxide, which is a harmful by-product of the process of cellular respiration is broken down if it builds up in concentration in the cells. If we use potato or other tissue containing this enzyme, we can use this to measure the relative influence of varying different factors on the activity of enzymes in living tissue, the factor I will be investigating in my coursework is the activity of pH.
Aim
The aim of my investigation is to find out how different pH’s will affect the enzyme activity and how this will affect the rate of reaction. Extremely high or low pH values generally result in complete loss of activity for most enzymes. pH is also a factor in
the stability of enzymes. As with activity, for each enzyme there is also a region of pH optimal stability.
I will also be measuring the rate at which oxygen is evolved and how it reflects the activity of the enzyme catalase.
Enzymes are generally globular proteins that have primary, secondary, tertiary and maybe quaternary structures. They are biological catalysts that can speed up a reaction rapidly. Enzymes are usually very specific as to which reactions they catalyse and the substrates that are involved in these reactions. Complimentary shape, charge and hydrophilic/hydrophobic