Question

EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE:

1. Bubble height indicates the degree of enzyme activity. Based on the results of your experiment, which tube had the highest bubble column height? What can you conclude about this temperature?

2. Compare the results of the tubes which were left on ice, at 25ºC, and at 37ºC. What can you conclude about the effect of temperature on enzyme activity?

3. What happened in the tube with boiled catalase? Explain this result.

Results: Table 5.1 - Catalase Activity Tube # Contents Bubble Column Height (mm) catalase/H202 dH20/H202 catalase/sucrose 27mm Omm | Omm E Table 5.2 - Effect of Temperature Tube # Temp. (°C) Bubble Column Height (mm) 0 16mm 25 14mm 37 4mm 100 1 mm 4 E Table 5.3- Effect of Enzyme Concentration & Time Bubble Column Height (mm) after 20 Bubble Column Height (mm) after 2 min. sec. Tube Amt. of Enz. O ml 1 ml 3 3 ml 10 15mm 12mm 10mm 24mm E Table 5.4 - Effect of pH Tube # pH | 3 6.6 11 Bubble Column Height (mm) 4mm 0 o

Answer 1

1)Catalase enzyme breaks down hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water. The rate of the evolution of the oxygen gas removed can be monitored by the help of the measuring the height of the bubble in the column.

The tube in which the enzyme catalase and hydrogen peroxide were added has the highest bubble column. There is no release of the oxygen gas in which water was added. There is no release of gas in the tube in which sucrose and catalase are added.

Maximum activity of the enzyme catalase was observed in the tube that was kept in ice at 0^oC. The tube must be kept in the ice bucket for preserving the catalytic activity of the enzyme. As the temperature increases the bubble height of the oxygen gas decreases due to the inactivity of the enzyme at higher temperatures leading to catalase enzyme denaturation at 100^oC.

2)Good activity of the catalase enzyme can be observed at 25^oC. There is decrease in the activity due to the denaturation of the enzyme protein at very high temperatures. When kept on ice bath there is a significant activity due to the prevention of degradation of the enzyme catalase protein. At 37^oC there is a significant enzyme activity of the enzyme catalase.

3)In the boiled tube, there is denaturation of the enzyme catalase at very high temperature of 100^oC.