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Potato Enzyme Lab Honors

This potato enzyme lab experiment aims to observe how the enzyme catalase breaks down hydrogen peroxide in potato cubes under different temperature and pH conditions, and determine if these variables affect the effectiveness of the enzyme. Students will test the reaction of hydrogen peroxide added to potato cubes previously heated, chilled, or kept at room temperature, as well as potato cubes in acidic, basic and neutral environments, recording observations of foam produced by the catalase reaction. The results will indicate whether temperature and pH impact the catalase enzyme's ability to catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

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232 views2 pages

Potato Enzyme Lab Honors

This potato enzyme lab experiment aims to observe how the enzyme catalase breaks down hydrogen peroxide in potato cubes under different temperature and pH conditions, and determine if these variables affect the effectiveness of the enzyme. Students will test the reaction of hydrogen peroxide added to potato cubes previously heated, chilled, or kept at room temperature, as well as potato cubes in acidic, basic and neutral environments, recording observations of foam produced by the catalase reaction. The results will indicate whether temperature and pH impact the catalase enzyme's ability to catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

Uploaded by

Crisa China
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Potato Enzyme Lab

Objectives:
 Observe the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide toxin by potato’s enzyme
catalase.
 Determine if temperature and pH affect enzyme effectiveness.
Background Information: Some plants such as potato and spinach have very
high levels of catalase, an enzyme that works on hydrogen peroxide to yield
water and oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is a toxic chemical that is produced in
many organisms during metabolism. Organisms must get rid of this toxin to
survive. Catalase can be found in most tissues of the body, along with plant
material such as potatoes.

Materials:
Potato (cubes) Vinegar (10 ml)
Test tubes (2 sets of 3) Hydrogen Peroxide (60ml)
Test tube rack baking soda
glass stirring rod

Procedure:
1. Take several pieces of cubed potato and put into test tubes. Label 1 set of test
tubes: heat, room temperature, cold. Keep the “room temperature” test tube in
the test tube rack. Take the “heat” test tube and put into boiling water for 5
minutes. Put “cold” test tube in bowl of ice for at least 5 minutes.

2.  Put all three test tubes in test tube rack. Add 10ml of hydrogen peroxide to
room temperature test tube first.  Observe the reaction and record. If there is
catalase present foam should be produced. The foam produced is a result of
catalase converting hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen; the bubbles are
filled with this oxygen. The more bubbles produced the faster catalase is
carrying out this reaction, or the more catalase present.  

3. Next, add 10ml of hydrogen peroxide to the “cold” test tube, record
observations. Lastly, add 10ml of hydrogen peroxide to the “heat” test tube.
Record your observations.

4. Put several pieces of cubed potato into the second set of test tubes. Label the
test tubes: acid, neutral and base. Add a pinch of baking soda to the “base” test
tube. Add 10 ml of vinegar to the “acid” test tube. Do not add anything to the
“neutral” test tube. Take the glass-stirring rod and mash the potato cubes. Let
the test tubes sit for 5 minutes. Add 10ml of hydrogen peroxide to each test tube
and record your observations.
Group members:

1. What test tube is the control group? Why?

2. Formulate an If/then hypothesis. Remember if/then hypothesis always


follow the same form of if the ________________(dependent variable) is
related to the _______________(independent variable) in ________ way,
then given _____(condition) I predict ______________(outcome).

DATA AND OBSERVATIONS

Test Tube Observations

Analysis questions:
1. Did you support or refute your hypothesis? Why? What data leads you to that
conclusion?
2. What did the catalase do? How do you know?
3. What did grinding the potato up do to the rate of reaction? Why did this change the
rate?
4. What did cooking the potato do to the rate of reaction? What conclusion can you draw

Conclusion: Briefly summarize the experiment/restate the objective. Restate your


hypothesis. Was your hypothesis supported or refuted? Why or why not? Include data in
your explanation.

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