required practical - effect of PH on amylase

Question 1

what is amylase

Answer 1

breaks down starch molecules into simple sugars

Question 2

explain how you would test for the effect of PH on amylase

Answer 2

1. use iodine to test for the presence of starch. iodine will turn blue/black if starch is present
2. place one drop of iodine solution into each well of spotting tile
3. take three test tubes. in the first, add 2cm cubed of starch solution. second 2cm cubed of amylase solution. third 2cm cubed of PH 5 buffer solution
4. place test tubes into a water bath for 10 minutes at 30 degrees to allow solutions to reach correct temp
5. combine all test tubes into one, mix with stirring rod, return to water bath, start stopwatch
6. after 30 seconds, use rod to transfer one drop of solution into a well on spotting tile. iodine should turn blue/black showing starch is present
7. take sample every thirty seconds, continuing until iodine remains orange - meaning starch is no longer present (the reaction is completed) record the time and then repeat the experiment several times using different PH buffers PH6,7,8

Question 3

what problems will there be with this experiment

Answer 3

1. only looking at samples every 30 seconds. reaction times is an approximate
2. the time when iodine is no longer blue/black isn’t obvious