Chemical Digestion and its pH Levels Needed for Enzyme Breakdown (Lab 4)

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New Mexico State University *

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2110L

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Biology

Date

Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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4

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Matthew Ross BIOL 2110L Lab Report 4 Dr. Marion Chemical Digestion and its pH Levels Needed for Enzyme Breakdown Abstract This experiment aimed to determine whether hypothesis one or hypothesis two was supported regarding pancreatic amylase and the needed pH levels for function. Hypothesis one was supported, meaning that amylase will only function at certain parts of the digestive tract. Introduction During the process of digestion, the chemical breakdown of enzymes is important for the body to help digest its food. The chemical digestion of this process helps the enzyme break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats throughout the digestive tract. (Marion et. al., 2018). This experiment focused on the enzyme pancreatic amylase and its function throughout the digestive tract and its breakdown with an optimal pH level. Starch is broken down by the enzyme pancreatic amylase in the small intestine. (Marion et. al., 2018). The substrate for this experiment is starch, the enzyme is amylase, and the product is maltose. Hypothesis one states that the digestive enzyme will function at an optimal pH level that corresponds with the pH of that compartment throughout the digestive tract. (Marion et. al., 2018). The predicted result is that the enzyme will only function at a pH of 7 because the pH of the small intestine is at a pH of 7. (Marion et. al., 2018). Hypothesis two states that the enzymes can operate at any part of the digestive tract, regardless of pH conditions in each compartment. (Marion et. al., 2018). The predicted result for this hypothesis is that the digestive enzyme
amylase will function at every part of the digestive tract regardless of pH levels, including levels of 2, 7, and 10. Methods Four test tubes were labeled one through four. 2 mL of starch was added to each test. Test tube one, acting as the buffer, had 1 mL of pH 7 and 2 mL of distilled water. Test tube one was the negative control of the experiment. Test tubes 2 through four each had 3 mL of the enzyme amylase, but varied in pH levels, being 2, 7, and 10 respectively. Test tubes two through four were treatments of this experiment. Each of the test tubes was placed in a water bath of 37 C for one hour. During this time, positive control tests were taken place. For the positive control tests, two clean tubes two were labeled with an “S” for starch and an “M” for maltose. The “S” test tube contained 2 mL of starch and 2 mL of distilled water. For the starch test, three drops of iodine were added to the test tube and then mixed on a vortexer. Results of the color before and after were written. If the color turned black, it was a positive sign for starch, and if the color was anything else, it was a negative sign. The “M” test tube contained 2 mL of maltose and 2 mL of distilled water. For the maltose test, three drops of Benedict’s solution were added to the test tube and placed into a boiling bath of water for 5 minutes. Results of the color before and after were written. If the color changed to a blue color, it was a positive indication of maltose while any other color would be negative. After an hour in the water bath, the four test tubes were separated into equal parts of clean test tubes. One-half of the test tubes containing the negative control and each of the three other treatments was tested for starch, while the other four were tested for maltose. The independent variable of the experiment was the pH levels, and they were manipulated by controlling which level of pH goes inside which test tube. The dependent
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