Pineapple And Jello Lab Report

Introduction Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts; thus allowing the many chemical reactions in life to occur. The purpose of an enzyme is to speed up the rate of a chemical reaction. Without enzymes, living organisms would be unable to function properly, since the releasing and storing of energy depend on the enzyme’s function (2). Through the process of catabolism, complex molecules within organic compounds are broken into simpler molecules. As a result of catabolic reactions, energy used to produce chemical reactions is released. In contrast, anabolic reactions store energy by the formation of complex molecules from simpler ones. However, both energy managing reactions depend on ATP produced by enzymes, otherwise known as chemical energy (2). When a substrate is temporarily bonded to an enzyme, enzymatic reactions occur. In an enzymatic reaction, a specific substrate tailored to an enzyme is bonded at the active site, where the enzyme acts upon the substrate and releases a product (1). Despite enzymes only acting upon distinct substrates, factors such as denaturation and inhibition can prevent enzymatic reactions from occurring.
If a canned and fresh pineapple chunk were placed on separate petri dishes with jello, then the state of the jello would be similar because both pineapple samples contain bromelain, a protein digesting enzyme. Jello consists of collagen, which can be found in animal bones and tendons, therefore classifying jello as a protein. By maintaining contact between the pineapple and the jello, the hypothesis was tested through creating an enzymatic reaction. This study concluded that while a natural enzyme is able to act on a substrate and release a product, denaturing of an enzyme chemically alters the enzyme and its ability to react with a