A_Temperature_Effect

A Temperature Effect INTRODUCTION Enzymes are protein catalysts that speed up the rate of specific biological reactions. The first thing to notice in enzyme characteristics is that enzymes are almost all proteins, often globular proteins. They are long chains of amino acid units held together by peptide bonds. Enzymes are much more specific than simple catalysts. Numerous reactions occur within a cell and it is the enzyme’s job to assist by reducing the activation energy required to set a reaction going. The name enzyme was suggested in 1867 by a German physiologist Wilhelm Kuhne. It was later, in 1894, a German biochemist Emil Fischer found the “lock and key” hypothesis of enzyme action. (http://www.chem.wsu.edu 1) A catalyst is defined as a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without itself being permanently changed during the process. (http://www.chem.wsu.edu 2) In this experiment the purpose was to see if temperature has an effect on the activity of catalysts. METHODS & MATERIALS (Gunstream, 1999) Celsius thermometer Crushed Ice Dropper Hydrogen peroxide Liver extract Metric ruler Test-tubes Test-tube racks Water Starting the experiment, a drop of the liver extract and a dropper of tap water were placed into four tubes. Number each tube 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A for tubes, tube, temperature, placed, place, foam, water, each, catalyst, activity, together, results, reactions, hypothesis, experiment, enzyme, cup, colder, catalysts, boiling, time, thickness, tested, test, temperatures, specific, sit, showed, room, reference, reaction, proteins, one, occur, measuring, measured, liver, let, ice, however, hotter, german, extract, enzymes, effect, dropper, corresponding, beaker, after