The Effects of Catalase on Hydrogen Peroxide Catalase is a protein; it is also a tetramer of four polypeptide chains, each over 500

amino acids long. The reason that catalase reacts with the hydrogen peroxide it that it contains four porphyrin heme groups. It is three dimensional and dumbbell shaped. The catalase enzymes are held together by an unusual covalent bonds. For humans the pH is usually around 7 varying from 4 to 11 in other different species temperatures also very with each species. The Experimental Design Independent Variable- How much substrate decomposes over time. Dependent Variable- The rate of decomposition of the HO. Control- HO in water instead of catalase. *Set up the experiment around room temperature 1st Trial- 10 seconds: a. b. c. d. Place 10 mL of 1.5% HO in a clean beaker. Add 1 mL of catalase. Swirl for 10 seconds. At 10 seconds, add 10 mL of HSO.

2nd Trial- 30 seconds: Repeat steps a. and b. for the 1st trial c. Swirl for 30 seconds d. At 30 seconds, add 10 mL of HSO. 3rd Trial -60 seconds: Repeat steps a. and b. c. Swirl for 60 seconds d. At 60 seconds, add 10 mL of HSO. Each time remove a 5 mL sample and assay for the amount of HO in the sample. Add KMnO one drop at a time until the solution turns pink or brown. Inference from experimental design I predict that the enzyme will become denatured after the KMnO is added because the KMnO is supposed to denature the catalase to stop the decomposition of the HO.