Enzymes may not be widely known, but they are very important in maintaining the well-being of the human body. Peroxide is known to enter the human body. Since peroxide is poisonous, our bodies fight it with catalase, an enzyme that transforms the poisonous peroxide into harmless water and oxygen. In this lab, I will answer the question, “Do enzymes in the liver change peroxide (H2O2), into Water (H2O) and Oxygen?” 

Hypothesis: I think if enzymes in the liver come into contact with peroxide, then a bubbles would be created and reaction that changes peroxide to water and oxygen will occur.

Materials:

Procedure: Pour water into the first test tube until the 2 centimeter mark. Then, place a small piece of liver into the test tube. Record the results. In the second test tube, pour peroxide into the test tube until the 2 centimeter mark. Then, place a small piece of liver inside the test tube. Record the results. In the third test tube, pour peroxide into the test tube. Light a wooden splint on fire with a match. Wait for about 5 seconds, and when it is glowing red, place it in the test tube. Record the results. In the fourth test tube, pour peroxide into the test tube to the 2 centimeter mark. Place a small piece of liver into the test tube. Once the bubbles reach the top of the test tube, light a wooden splint with a match and wait until it is glowing red. Touch the wooden splint to the bubbles and record the results. In the fifth test tube, pour boiling water to the 2 centimeter mark. Add a small piece of liver to the test tube. Record the results.

Data/Results.

 | Reaction
Test tube 1 | No reaction
Test tube 2 | Bubbles formed once the liver entered the test tube.
Test tube 3 | No reaction
Test tube 4 | The splint sparked and started a fire once it touched the bubbles.
Test tube 5 | No reaction

Discussion:

1) What are enzymes?  What are their roles in chemical reactions?

Enzymes are natural catalyst that speed up reaction rates and lower the activation energy of chemical reactions.

 2) Describe what happened to test tube 2 when hydrogen peroxide was added to the liver.  What gas was produced?  What liquid was left behind?

When the liver was added to the peroxide, bubbles immediately formed. Oxygen was the gas that was produced and water was the liquid that was left behind.

3) What effect does the red hot wood have on test tube 4? WHY is the flame being produced? 

Red hot wood produces a spark and fire when it comes into contact with the bubbles. A flame is being produced because oxygen gas is being produced.

 

4) What effect does temperature have on the enzymes (Test tube 5)?

The temperature is above the optimal temperature for the enzyme, which causes it to denature and not react with the substrate.

Conclusion: This experiment proved my hypothesis to be correct because when the enzymes reacted with the peroxide, water and oxygen was formed. I know this because the wooden splint sparked when it touched the bubbles, which signifies there was oxygen. I also know they were enzymes working to produce water and oxygen because no reaction occurred in the boiling water, which relates to the fact that enzymes denature once the temperature increases beyond their optimal temperature. In this lab I learned that enzymes have the ability to transform poisonous substances into harmless substances, which explains why substances like alcohol affect the liver because the liver is working to detoxify the alcohol, and that is just remarkable. One error that might of occurred in the lab is that the amount of liver might have changed throughout each test tube.