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Title: Effect of Temperature on Fermentation Rate

James Jones

MACU

BIO 1304 Introduction to Biology Lecture and Lab

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Pre-Lab Questions

1. What is your hypothesis about the effect of pH on enzymes? Why do you think

this will be the outcome?

Hypothesis: Enzymes have an optimal pH range at which their activity is highest. As the pH

deviates from this optimal range, enzyme activity will decrease.

2. What is the waste product of aerobic respiration?

The waste product of aerobic respiration is carbon dioxide (CO2).

3. How do animals survive when there is no oxygen?

When oxygen is unavailable, animals can switch to anaerobic respiration as a means of

producing energy.
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Introduction

Fermentation is a common concept in sciences and is defined as the chemical

breakdown of substances by microorganisms such as bacteria to produce energy. The

definition is so basic, but based on this class, fermentation can be termed as a biological

process where yeast converts sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Yeast is a tiny single-

celled (unicellular) fungi. The organisms in the Kingdom of Fungi are not capable of making

their own food. Fungi, like any other organism, need food for energy. They rely on sugar

found in their environment to provide them with this energy so that they can grow and

reproduce. Yeast, like bacteria, grows in or on their food source. They produce and release

digestive proteins (enzymes) into their environment, where the sugar molecules are found.

Complex sugar molecules then break down into monosaccharides that can be absorbed by the

yeast and used for food (energy).

The fermentation process is used in various applications, including bread making and

beer brewing. The rate of fermentation can be influenced by several factors, including

temperature. Therefore, the study aims to explain and determine how different environmental

temperatures affect the fermentation rate.

Hypothesis and Rationale

The hypothesis was that as the water temperature increases, the rate of fermentation

temperatures increases. This is because temperature is an important environmental factor in

chemical and biological reactions, and increasing it tends to increase the process rate. Hence,

the experiment will help to determine the suitable environmental temperature and the ideal

fermentation temperature range to accelerate the process of fermentation with yeast.

Materials

 Sugar (10 grams)

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 Baker’s yeast (1 packet)

 Cold water (10°C)

 Room temperature water (25°C)

 Warm water (40°C)

 Hot water (70°C)

 Four identical containers (glasses)

 Balloons

 Measuring spoons

 Thermometer

Methods

Started by labeling the four containers as "Control," "Warm," "Cold," and "Ice,” then

prepared a sugar solution by dissolving 10 grams of sugar in 100 mL of warm water until the

sugar dissolves completely. The sugar solution was divided equally into four containers

(approximately 25 mL each). 1/4 teaspoon of yeast was added to each container. Balloons

were attached to the corresponding container using a rubber band, ensuring a tight seal to

prevent air leakage. The "Control" container was placed at room temperature (25°C), and the

"Warm" container into a warm water bath (40°C) maintained using a thermometer. The

"Cold" container is in a container filled with cold water (10°C), and the “Ice" container is

directly in a bowl of ice water (0°C). The balloons were observed for 30 minutes, and the

circumference of the balloons was measured and recorded.

Results

Data Table:

Temperature (°C) Circumference of Balloon (cm)

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25 (Control) 4.5 cm

40 (Warm) 10 cm

10 (Cold) 0.2 cm

0 (Ice) 0 cm

Graph:

Eff ect of Temperature on Fermentati on Rate

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10
balloon circumference (cm)

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Temperature (°C)

Discussion

Based on the results above, clearly, temperature has a significant effect on the rate of

fermentation. The sugar solution in the warm water bath fermented more compared to other

sugar solutions. The fermentation was double compared to the control, that is, room

temperature, indicating that an increase in temperature accelerates fermentation. On the other

hand, the ice bath significantly slowed down the fermentation process, and not recording any
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increase in balloon circumference shows no fermentation took place. These findings align

with the hypothesis and are consistent with the known influence of temperature on enzyme

activity.

Conclusion

The experiment supports the hypothesis that an increase in temperature increases the

rate of fermentation. The warm water bath facilitated faster fermentation compared to room

temperature, while the ice bath inhibited fermentation. These findings underscore the

importance of temperature control in fermentation processes, with implications for various

industries such as brewing, baking, and biofuel production.

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Post-Lab Questions

1. Why do enzymes function better at certain temperatures and pH levels?

Enzymes function better at certain temperatures and pH levels due to the impact of

these factors on their three-dimensional structure and activity.

2. Humans can carry out anaerobic respiration, but we cannot survive for very

long. Why can’t we survive with anaerobic respiration alone?

Humans can carry out anaerobic respiration, but we cannot survive for very long because

anaerobic respiration produces lactic acid as a byproduct, which can build up in tissues and

disrupt cellular processes, leading to fatigue and eventually organ failure if prolonged.

4. What happens during the process of fermentation?

Fermentation is an anaerobic process where glucose is converted into various organic

molecules like lactic acid or ethanol in the absence of oxygen.