The Concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide and Speed of The Rate at Which It is Broken Down by Catalase

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The Concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide and Speed of The Rate at Which It is Broken Down by Catalase

AIM

To find out whether the concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide affects the

rate of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide when broken down by

catalase.

SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE

Hydrogen peroxide is a liquid bi-product of many chemical reactions in

living things. It is toxic, so has to be broken down by the enzyme

catalase which is also found in most living things. E.g.

[IMAGE]Hydrogen peroxide catalase water + oxygen

2H2O2 (aq) 2H2 O + O2

[IMAGE]

The enzyme catalase (peroxidase) was the first enzyme discovered and

is one of the fastest enzymes, its turnover rate is about 40,000

molecules/second. It speeds up the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

· Enzymes are not used up by the reaction and remain unchanged.

· Enzymes work most efficiently at their optimum temperature and

optimum pH, which from a previous experiment, I know to be about pH8

· Can be denatured (changed in shape) by excess heat (+45°C) and/or

extremes of pH.

· Very specific to their substrate molecule.

THEORY

COLLISION THEORY

Enzymes are biological catalysts. They tend to speed up the rate of

biochemical reactions.

Decomposition of hydrogen peroxide

[IMAGE]2H2O2 (aq) 2H2 O + O2

The enzyme catalase (peroxidase), catalase was first enzyme

discovered. It is one of the fastest enzymes, with a turnover rate of

about 40,000 molecules/second.

Speeds up the rate of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide

[IMAGE]

[IMAGE]

[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE] active site

[IMAGE]

catalase hydrogen peroxide

...

... middle of paper ...

...2

9

2

5

2.5

11

2

5

3

12

2

2.5

0.5

2

2

2.5

1

2

0

2.5

1.5

3

1

2.5

2

3

0

2.5

2.5

4

1

2.5

3

4

0

Conclusion

This experiment was far more accurate than the previous one, however

the results were still well off what would be expected for 25vol. This

leads me to believe that something else is affecting that experiment.

For the second experiment all of the hydrogen peroxide concentrations

were made up at the same time, so this would not have been a factor.

The first three results were just about perfect, each doubling. This

shows that whatever it is that is causing the change in the pattern,

only affects the strongest concentrations.

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