Inorganic and Organic Catalyst
Jenna Star Belter
jennastar3@gmail.com
Biol 1730-517
October 10, 2012
James Smith
Wednesday 8-10:50
Abstract
Adding a dropper (1 ml) of hydrogen peroxide shows a presence of catalyst
enzymes in different substances, if the foam layer becomes present the enzymes are active
in the substance. With four different substances, I added 1 dropper (1 ml) of water, and
another dropper of hydrogen peroxide to each substance. After I measured the mm of the
foam reaction in the test tube, I found the higher the catalyst enzymes in the tested
substance, the higher reaction of foam in the test tube.
Introduction
Conducting the experiment can create a better understanding of substances that
may contain catalyst enzymes. The experiment involves filling four individual test tubes
with different substances, putting one dropper (1ml) of water in each test tube, then
adding one dropper (1 ml) of hydrogen peroxide to each test tube, after one minute report
the results of the measured height of the foams. Before testing the experiment, I was
looking for action in manganese dioxide and liver extract, showing both an inorganic and
organic catalyst reaction.
Materials and methods
While testing for catalyst in enzymes I took four individual test tubes and filled one
test tube one with a spatula of sand, test tube two with a dropper of water (1 ml), test tube
three a spatula of manganese dioxide, and test tube four with a drop of liver extract. After
each tube was filled with the substance to be tested, I added one dropper (1 ml) of water to
each tube, and then one dropper (1ml) with hydrogen peroxide. Next, I waited one minute
and measured the thickness of the foam in millimeters, starting from where the water
began.
Results
My results showed manganese and liver extract positively reacted with hydrogen
peroxide and broke it down creating foam, while water and sand had no reaction with
hydrogen peroxide proving there were no catalyst enzymes in those substances (Fig. 1).
The substance with the greatest reaction to hydrogen peroxide was the liver extract, while
the smallest reaction was from sand and water, which showed no reaction at all, because of
the absence of the hydrogen peroxide (Fig. 2). By my conclusions, I predict a substance will
show a reaction to the hydrogen peroxide, depending on how much of a catalyst is in the
substance; the higher amount of catalyst, the higher amount of foam.
Figure 1
Sample
Thickness of Foam Layer (mm)
Sand
0
H20 (water)
0
MnO2 (manganese dioxide)
3
Liver extract
31
Figure 2
Foam Layer (mm)
Foam Layer vs. Sample
40
30
20
10
0
1
2
3
Test Tube
4
Discussion
Presence of hydrogen peroxide will show if a substance contains catalyst enzymes
or has an absence of catalyst enzymes. The liver extract contained the highest amount of
catalyst, and was the example of an inorganic catalyst. While the manganese peroxide was
an organic catalyst, with low but recognizable amount of foam, showing a presence of a
catalyst. Depending on which level of the liver extract the same is taken, the amount of
catalyst may fluctuate. The results showed that both manganese dioxide and liver extract
were two different types of catalyst, but showed action when exposed to hydrogen
peroxide. The indication of a foam layer indicated the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide
because it shows the oxygen gas being separated by a chemical. Test tubes 1 and 2, filled
with the substances sand and water were the controlled substances, if catalyst appears to
be in either test tube the experiment was incorrectly done, and needs to be retested.
References
Pearson. "Enzymes." Symbiosis/Biology. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2013. 67-69.
Print.
Reece, Jane B., and Neil A. Campbell. Biology. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Cummings, 2011. Print.