The Effect of Temperature on Enzyme Activity
Abstract
This biology experiment was conducted in order to see if the change in environmental factors had any effect on enzyme activity. I tested the effects of the environment of enzymes by comparing three different temperatures' affects on milk and its glucose levels. The end result proved that environmental factors such as temperature do in fact have an affect on enzyme activity.
Introduction
An enzyme is a protein that acts as a catalyst; a substance that speeds up a reaction. Each enzyme is specific meaning that if the enzyme fails to bind at the active site with the substrate, the reaction does not take place. Enzymes are affected by environmental factors such as temperature, pH, and salinity, each dependent on their individual makeup. I will be testing the affect of varying temperature on glucose level within milk in order to test this for myself.
Louis Lumiere with microscope and test tubes, look...
Two small test tubes in a test tube rack. Polski: ...
Line art representation of a Test tubeTemperature is a measure of molecular motion. Therefore it would reasonable to conclude that an increase in the temperature would increase the molecular motion in an enzyme, and on the other hand, a decrease in the temperature would decrease the molecular motion. My hypothesis is that this will be true only within a certain temperature range. Since enzymes are selectively specific for the substance which it reacts wit, it also has a specific temperature at which it is most effective. If an enzyme is heated too much, it will denature and cause it not to be able to react. At the same time if an enzyme is chilled to a temperature to low, it will not react either.
Materials
*6 test tubes
*test tube holder
*Thermometer
*hot plate
*ice
*2 200mL beakers
*distilled water
*milk
*4 glucose test strips
*lactaid pill
*weigh paper
*boiling chips
Methods
1. Fill...