Catalase Experiment

The effect of altering temperature on the rate of liver enzyme activity is measured in this experiment to be able to visualize how temperature in the environment and in the body can manipulate the rate of enzyme activity. Enzymes are protein catalysts that lower the amount of activation energy required to start a biochemical reaction. According to Dr. Meyertholen (2015), enzymes are structured to work with certain substrates, meaning that the structure determines the function of the enzyme. If the enzymes shape is altered, they become denatured. Denaturation of an enzyme can occur with changes in factors such as temperature, pH, or salinity. The enzyme being used in this experiment is catalase. Catalase is an antioxidant enzyme that helps to …show more content…
According to PubChem (2015), hydrogen peroxide (34.01468 g/mol) consists of two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms that can be seen in liquid and powder form. The liquid form is visible to the human eye as a colorless liquid with a clear odor that could be described as irritating or distinct. The aqueous molecule can be broken apart fairly easily, as it is a very unstable molecule with a bent shape. When coming in contact with certain organisms’ tissues and organs, H2O2 is broken down by catalase to prevent major damage to the tissues. The molecule is broken down by the body, but it is also produced by organisms, especially humans. According to Niethammer (2009), hydrogen is produced in three main places in the body; the lungs, thyroid gland, and gut. It is crucial that the body contains catalase at an optimum temperature to breakdown the hydrogen peroxide produced as quickly as possible. The body maintains a constant temperature around 37°C to keep the enzymes working as efficiently as possible. Most mammals keep a body temperature around this temperature to help keep the rate of catalase and other enzyme reactions constant and