assignment

Question 1

underlying biology

Answer 1

• enzymes are biological catalysts made by all living cells. They speed up cellular reactions and are unchanged in the process
• Enzymes are made from proteins which are made from amino acids joined by peptide bonds.
• Enzymes are most active in their optimum conditions which is around pH 7 and from 35-40 degrees c for most enzymes
• Enzymes are said to be specific to a substrate because the shape of the active site of an enzyme molecule is complementary to its specific substrate. When enzymes are exposed to high temperatures or pH levels they become denatured because the shape of an active site of the enzyme changes and is no longer complementary to the substrate.

Question 2

method

Answer 2

we added hydrogen peroxide and different pH buffers into 3 test tubes along with some detergent. We then cored a potato to get 3 pieces which were all equal in size and added one into each test tube. We waited 5 minutes then measured the height of foam produced which relates to enzyme activity

Question 3

aim

Answer 3

to investigate the effect of varying pH on potato catalase enzyme activity

Question 4

analysis

Answer 4

My graph is different to the source because my graph is on graph paper and the source isn’t. My source graph also stops at pH 10 whereas my graph stops at pH 11.

My graph is similar to the source as the enzyme activity increases from pH 4 to pH 7 where it is highest and then decreases.

Question 5

conclusion

Answer 5

potato catalase enzyme activity is highest at pH 7. As pH increases, enzyme activity increases until it gets to its optimum pH. As the pH continues to increase enzyme activity decreases as it becomes denatured