Post-Lab Report
Name: Lea Loren Leonardo
Partner’s Names: Diego Mendoza
Michelle Vergara
Title: Enzyme Activity
SPRING 2017
10 April 2017
BACKGROUND
Enzymes are typically used to catalyze the rate of reaction and are found within living
cells. All enzymes are specific in terms of performing their particular action. Their specificity is
caused by them having an active site which allows it to attach to a certain substrate. In order for
enzymes to function at maximum strength, they have an optimum temperature; this the
catalyzation of the enzyme to its substrate to work more efficiently. Usually at temperatures
higher than 45 C impedes enzyme activity. For example, catalase, an enzyme found in potatoes
and animal liver, breaks down hydrogen peroxide. This increases the rate of decomposition of
H2O2 into H2O and oxygen. The purpose of this experiment is to observe how enzymes operate
and how it breaks down certain compounds found in different foods. More specifically, the
action of catalase on H2O2 in various conditions.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment is to observe the action of three different enzymes: catalase,
lipase, and amylase. The action of catalase was observed through potatoes’ reaction to H2O2
under varying conditions. Lipase was observed by its reaction to the litmus cream, while amylase
through starch solution.
DATA AND RESULTS Table 1: Catalase Action w/ H2O2
Tube 1
Bubbles formed immediately at the addition
of the potato to the liquid.
Tube 2
No reaction took place after a piece of boiled
potato was added into the liquid.
chopped potatoes into the liquid; it had the
most reaction out of all tubes
Tube 4
Bubbles formed slowly after the addition of
the potato into the liquid.
Tube 5 (control)
No reaction took place
Tube 1
No reaction because there is no bile powder
or lipase (yellow in color)
Tube 2
No reaction because there is no lipase for the
bile to work with (yellow in color)
Tube 3
Slightly darker in color than tube 1 & tube 2;
lipase reacts with litmus cream
Tube 4
Much darker than the rest; bile powder allows
for lipase to work more efficiently
tube is a clear brown
Tube 2
No change. Remained a clear orange
