Enzyme Catalysis
Introduction: The purpose of this lab experiment is to monitor to alteration of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen gas by the enzyme catalase and observe and record the amount of O2 produced and find how the rate of reaction is affected. ... The substance that an enzyme acts on is the substrate. ... The enzyme itself remains unchanged throughout the reaction and is able to continue to speed the same reaction until it is forced to stop. In this particular experiment the substrate is hydrogen peroxide and it is being acted upon by the enzyme catalase, which causes an amount of the hydrogen peroxide (proportional to the amount of reaction time) to decompose into water and oxygen gas. Two vital factors are the temperature and pH of the enzyme; if an enzyme’s composition is drastically changed because of pH or temperature deviation the catalase may become denatured and no longer be able to catalyze the reaction.