Enzyme Activity

Abstract:

The purpose of this experiment is to test the effects of different sugar types with pH and temperatures. We are testing to see if there is a difference in reaction and reaction time when placed into different temperature and pH. We are looking for changes in color, solidity, reaction time, etc. My hypothesis is that at different temperatures and amounts of pH, there will we different reactions.

Introduction:

The overview of these experiments is to test enzymes and see what kinds of reactions they have in different setting. Temperature, pH, sugars, etc. are all part of this testing process. The importance of this experiment is to gain better knowledge of enzymes so that we can know more about them. Enzymes are very important in everyday life because they keep people from getting diseases and they help us to do simple thing like digest foods.

Procedure:

Collect lab supplies and begin testing. First we mix 2ml of each sugar with 2ml of Benedicts Solution. We then placed these tubes in hot water and after three minutes noted a color change. The point of this test was to find out which were single sugars and which were double sugars. After everything we record our findings.

For our next test we take the same amounts of sugar and Benedicts solution but we increase the enzyme to see if the amount of the reaction will increase. We mix the correct solution of sulfur , sucrose solution, enzyme stock solution and water and let sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes. We then record our findings.

Our next test will be the effects of temperature on enzyme activity. We place buffer, enzyme, and sucrose solutions into four different temperature settings. We then mix them after six minutes. We let them sit for another fifteen minutes and record our findings.

Next we test the effects of pH on enzymes. We first add 5ml of enzyme stock solution to form different pH levels all 2ml full. We let them react for fifteen minutes and then record our results.

Finally we tested the fermentation activity of yeast. We placed different kinds of sugars into test tubes and then added the same amount of yeast to each tube. We then measured the amounts of gas produced, being careful not to mistake the clearing of fluid for gas. We then record our results.

Data:

In the first test, (Benedict s Test as it is better known), the three types of sugars were sucrose, glucose, and fructose. We concluded that fructose and glucose are simple sugars and sucrose is not. We obtained these results do to the colors that the sugars turned. Glucose being red-orange and Fructose being orange. While the Sucrose being blue. In our second test we found that if the concentration of enzyme is increased, then the amount of the reaction will increase. In our third test we found that with different temperatures come different reaction times. The greater the increase in temperature , the greater the increase in the rate of reaction. Next we tested to see that if the pH is increased in an n enzyme, then will the rate of the enzyme activity increase. We found this test to also be true. Most of the reaction that we found was in the 4.4 to 8.0 pH range. Finally the yeast test found to disprove the given hypothesis. The fermentation of the yeast was false because the one that had water added to it did not change.

Conclusion:

The entire hypotheses that were predicted came true except for test five. This test was proved false because there was no reaction with the addition of water. Overall we see that the enzymes we used require optimal conditions for the best reaction.

References:

1. www.botany.utexas.edu/facstaff/facpages/ksata/ecpf96/6/factors.htm

Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity

2. http://edie.cprost.sfu.ca/ rhlogan/enzymes.html

Characteristics of Enzymes

3. Dixon, Malcom & Webb, Edwin C.

Enzymes

2nd ed. New York, Academic Press. c.1964

4. Fersht, Alan

Enzyme Structure & Mechanism

San Francisco: W.H. Freeman c.1977