IGCSE Enzyme Practical

Research Question: How does pH affect the activity of Catalase from yeast?

Independent variable: the ph of the hydrogen peroxide

Dependent variable: The foam height (mm)

Controlled variables:

Name a minimum of 5 and the reasons for keeping them constant during the experiment

Controlled variable Units How will it be kept the same? Why should it be kept the same?

1. detergent added 1 drop Using a dropper to control So that there is not a excess of
how much detergent is added bubbles produced

2. Temperature of the 26º Doing the experiment at the The rate of reaction can be affected
environment same place and at the same depending on the environment it is in
time

3. time for the foam to 30 sec With a stopwatch If more time is given for the foam
increase its length would increase its height

4. H2O2 volume 5cm3 Measuring with a measuring Because the more substrate is added
cylinder the faster the reaction

5. Mass of yeast 0.2 g Weight the mass of the yeast If there is more yeast added it can
using a balance create more bubbles (oxygen) and the
same the other way.

Prediction: I predict that the yeast will produce more bubbles at the middle pH 7, but if it increases or decreases it
would change depending if it is higher or lower.
Write what do you predict will happen and why?

Results: Write the results in a table where the independent variable is on the left side and the dependent variable is
on the right side
 Table 1 showing how the ph of hydrogen peroxide affect the height of bubbles produced
by yeast
pH Height of the foam (mm)
2 25
3 16
5 15
7 12
10 15
Evaluation: Fill in the table below with 5 ideas of what could be improved so you have better results if you were
doing the experiment again,
Weakness
The results at the different ph’s
The detergent stayed on the borders
of the test tube
After the 30 seconds the
foam/bubbles keep growing
More trials
More ph’s
Height of the foam Average Height of the
(mm) Height of the foam (mm) foam (mm)
59 30 38
65 70 50
41 28
10 10 11
100 70 62
How it could effect the results Improvement
If different students in the class do Each person do her own
different trials the results aren't experiment for the results to have a
going to be the same because they smaller range of different or the
might be doing it in another way answers for the same ph
leading to a big range of different
numbers for each trial of one ph
Less bubble produced or not Using a dropper to make sure that
accurate results the detergent goes in the hydrogen
peroxide
For example if the rate of reaction Increase the time to 50 or 40
takes more time it may start to seconds to let the reaction fully
foam after the 30 seconds happen
If there are more trias, the results Make 3 more trials
average would me more accurate
It will expand the possibilities of Make the test for the ph’s of 1, 4, 6
different results and would make and 8
the person that is doing the
experiment have a wider view of
what is the reaction and what is the
better ph for yeast (enzymes)