Name:_______________________________ Group #:______________________________

Year/Section:____________________________ Date:____________________________

ACTIVITY #3 ENZYME REACTION I. Introduction. Enzymes are one of the most important proteins found in every living cell because they are responsible for speeding up chemical reactions inside the body. Processes, such as digestion of food, cell division, production of proteins, and many more are all catalyzed by enzymes. Enzymes work at an optimum temperature and pH. Any changes in temperature and pH will affect their activity. The enzyme catalase, commonly located in both plants and animal cells, is responsible for the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide.

II. Objectives. 1. Demonstrate the action of the enzyme catalase on hydrogen peroxide.

2. Determine the effect of temperature and pH on the activity of catalase.

III. Materials. Cow or pig liver 10 test tubes Vinegar Marker Test tube rack Graduated cylinder Ruler Water Knife Chopping board Test tube holder Potato

Alcohol lamp Forceps

Hydrogen peroxide (Agua oxinada)

IV. Procedure. 1. Cut four pieces of fresh liver (thaw at room temperature, if frozen), 1 cubic centimeter in size. Set aside.

2. Peel the potato and cut four pieces of 1 cubic centimeter. Set aside.

3. Boil for five minutes one cube of liver and one cube of potato in a test tube with enough water to submerge the cubes of tissues. Use the test tube holder to hold the test tube above the alcohol lamp. Remove tissues from the test tube and let it cool at room temperature. Set aside.

4. Using a knife, cut one cube of liver and one cube of potato into small pieces. Set aside.

5. Soak one cube of liver and one cube of potato in vinegar for five minutes in a test tube.

Make sure the tissues are submerged in vinegar. Remove the cubes from the vinegar. Set aside.

6. Prepare eight clean test tubes and label them A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, respectively.

7. Using graduated cylinder, add 2 mL of Hydrogen peroxide into eight test tubes.

8. Using clean forceps, add different tissues into the test tubes with Hydrogen peroxide as follows.

A- cube of fresh liver B- chopped fresh liver

E- cube of fresh potato F- chopped potato

C- boiled cube of liver D- liver soaked in vinegar

G- boiled cube of potato H- potato soaked in vinegar

9. Observe the reactions taking place, note of the bubble formation on the surface of the tissues.

10. Record your observations in the table.

V. Observation. Record the degree of reaction using the following terms: no reaction, slow reaction, moderate reaction, or fast reaction.

TEST TUBE A B C D

TISSUE

TREATMENT FRESH CHOPPED BOILED SOAKED IN VINEGAR

DEGREE OF REACTION

LIVER

POTATO E F FRESH CHOPPED

G H VI. Post-laboratory questions.

BOILED SOAKED IN VINEGAR

1. From your observations, which tissue contains more catalase?

2. How does the chopping of tissues differ from the whole cube setups (A vs. B and E vs. F)? How would you account for the difference?

3. Explain how boiling in water and soaking in vinegar affect the activity of the enzyme

catalase?