Catalase Enzyme Lab
Catalase Enzyme Lab purpose: The purpose of the catatalase enzyme lab was to explore
how changing the environmental conditions of an enzyme affect the enzymes ability to speed
up a chemical reaction.
Hydrogen
Peroxide
Hydrogen
Peroxide
In this lab the enzymes’ activity can be indirectly measured through temperature changes
which indicate a release or intake of heat energy from the chemical reaction which the enzyme
is catalyzing(speeding up).
Catalase Lab Background:
Figure 1
catalase enzyme
2 Hydrogen peroxide
2 water + oxygen + heat energy
This is the Catalase
enzyme in standard
water environment
This is the denatured
Catalase enzyme in
Acidic environment
Figure 3: cartoon illustration comparing Standard Catalase enzyme to Acidified
Catalase enzyme
Oxygen gas – O2
Energy released in the
form of Heat
Many cells produce Hydrogen peroxide as a toxic by product of their metabolic reactions.
Cells also produce catalase enzyme which speeds up the in the breakdown of hydrogen
peroxide into harmless water and oxygen gas (see figure 1). This reaction is exergonic -energy releasing (see figure 2). When you pour hydrogen peroxide on a cut the catalase
enzyme released out of your damaged
skin cells and from your blood stream
speed up the break down of hydrogen
peroxide and the observed bubbling is
from the product oxygen. The liver is a
good source of catalase enzyme so – the
catalase enzyme for this lab will be
extracted from chicken liver. All
enzymes including Catalase enzyme only
fold into their active shape under specific
environmental conditions. If the shape is
altered, then the enzymes activity can be
decreased. An enzymes can be denatured
by changes in temperature, pH and salt
concentration. Why? Because the all
changes interfere with the hydrogen
bonds that help keep the enzyme folded
properly (see figure3).
Figure2: an exergonic reaction with and
without an enzymes help
Pre Lab Questions
Complete Cornell style on a piece of binder
paper
1. What is the purpose of the lab?
2. How will you indirectly measure the enzymes activity?
3. What lab tool do you think will be used to measure heat
energy?
4. Chemical reactions
a. Write the chemical reaction that will happen in this
lab?
b. Identify the chemical reactions substrate (reactant)
c. Identify the chemical reactions products
5. What enzyme will be used in this lab?
6. Why do cells need enzymes to break down hydrogen peroxide?
7. Refer to figure 2: what does an enzyme do the reaction’s
activation energy?
8. What organ and species will be our source of enzyme?
9. What can happen to an enzymes activity if its shape is altered?
10. List three things that can denature (deform)an enzyme?
11. Refer to figure 3: predict which enzyme/environment will more
effectively speed up the break down of hydrogen peroxide?
Procedure:
Preparation
1. Using a blue tape, label one test tube HP for (hydrogen peroxide alone), another test
tube needs to be labeled HP + Reg. C (regular catalase enzyme) and the final test
tube HP + Acid C (for catalase enzyme with acid added)
2.
Make Acidified Catalase: prepare the acidified Catalase by
pippetting 2ml of Regular Catalase enzyme and 2ml of Acetic acid together.
Let sit for 5 minutes (continue on with step 3 – Acidified Catalase enzyme will not need until
step 9)
3.
use the Graduated cylinder to measure 8 ml of
Hydrogen peroxide into each test tube
Testing Hydrogen perioxdies temperature on its own
4. Record the temperature of the HP test tube of just hydrogen peroxide every 30 seconds
for 120 seconds
5.
Pre Write:
Directions:
Complete the following
on the next page in your lab notebook
or binder paper.

Paper heading: record your
name, date, period

Write the title of the lab – Calatalse Enzyme lab.

Write Introduction and on the line BELOW “Introduction” write
at least 5 sentences of background information. (You can use the
information from the lab, but do not copy it word for word – put it
in your own words.) Then write the Purpose - copy the purpose
exactly as given in the handout.

Give credit to where you learned the background information from,
the teacher provided handout – after the last background sentence
write (Teachers last name, Date)

Skip 3 lines – you will add something later after the lab is
complete!!!

Write Hypothesis and on the line BELOW “Hypothesis” write out
the hypothesis being sure to complete the blanks logically
Record if oxygen bubbles were observed (be descriptive)
Testing the affect of Regular Catalse enzyme on Hydrogen perioxide
6. Record the temperature of the Hydrogen peroxide alone in the HP + Reg C (Regular
catalase )test tube.
7.
Leave the thermometer in the HP + Reg C test tube
8.
When the clocks second hand hits 12 add the ½ ml of Regular Catalase to the HP+Reg.
C test tube.
9.
Swirl the HP + Reg C test tube to ensure that the catalase enzyme is mixed with the
hydrogen peroxide.
10. Record the temperature every 30 seconds for 2 minutes
(at 30sec, 60sec, 90sec, and 120 sec)
No personal
pronouns
I, me, we, us,
they, our group….
11. Record if oxygen bubbles were observed (be descriptive)
Testing the affect of Acidified Catalse enzyme on Hydrogen perioxide
12. Record the temperature of the Hydrogen peroxide alone in the HP + Acid C (Acidified
catalase enzyme) test tube.
o
(choices for blanks are – increase, decrease, stay the same, then, if,)
13. Leave the thermometer in the HP + Acid C test tube
14. When the clocks second hand hits 12 add the ½
Acid C test tube.
ml of Acidified Catalase to the HP +
15. Swirl the HP + Acid C test tube to ensure that the acidified catalase enzyme is mixed
with the hydrogen peroxide.
16. Record the temperature every 30 seconds for 2 minutes
(at 30sec, 60sec, 90sec, and 120 sec)
____ adding acid to an enzymes environment affects the enzymes
activity, _________ adding acetic acid to catalase enzyme will
_____________ the catalase enzymes activity.

write Procedure and on the line BELOW Copy the procedure
exactly as given in the handout

Leave space to Draw Fig. 1: Lab set up.
17. Record if oxygen bubbles were observed (be descriptive)
Figure 1: Lab set up
Make sure you leave space in your procedure section
to draw and the overall set up of the lab.