preview

Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity

Satisfactory Essays

Enzyme Action:
Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity

Carlyssa Warner
September 22, 2017

Life 120L
Abstract
An enzyme is a macromolecule serving as a catalyst, a chemical agent that increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed by the reaction (Urry et al. 2016). pH substrate concentration, enzyme concentration, and temperature affect the reaction rates of enzymes. Very high temperatures denature enzymes. The objective of this lab was to determine what causes changes in enzymes, pH concentration, temperature, or enzyme concentration. It was hypothesized that for when the pH value was changed, and when the substrate level was increased the reaction rate would also increase until the optimum pH was reached. For the change in the enzyme concentration it was hypothesized that if there was an increase in the catalase then there would be an increase in the reaction rate. And the hypothesis for the change in temperature was that if the temperature was increased then the reaction rate would increase until the optimum point was reached, similar to the pH.
Introduction
A catalyst in science is a substance that increases the rate of the chemical reaction. Enzymes are biological catalysts. Enzymes are also proteins. Proteins have the ability to be denatured. Denaturation is when proteins lose their structure. Enzymes are usually denatured above about 45ºC (BBC 2014). The reactant and enzyme acts on is referred to as the enzyme’s substrate (Urry 132). Enzymes have

Get Access