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Hypothesis: If the temperature changes (increase or decrease) then the rate of enzyme activity will also change because different temperatures have different reaction rates.

Introduction to enzymes/catalase:

Like all other proteins, enzymes are made up of amino acids. Enzymes are proteins that have catalytic functions indispensable to maintenance and activity of life. All chemical reactions occurring in a living organism are dependent on the catalytic actions of enzymes. Catalase is a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms exposed to oxygen (such as bacteria, plants, and animals). It catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. There are a majority of factors that affect the activity of catalase, essentially enzymes. Temperature is one of those factors that have a huge role in the reaction rates of enzymes. Changing the temperature slightly may affect the enzyme activity even if it is ever so slightly. The active site is the part of an enzyme to which substrates bind and where a reaction is catalyzed. Enzymes bind with chemical reactants called substrates. A specific chemical substrate matches this site like a jigsaw puzzle piece and makes the enzyme specific to its substrate.

Testing temperature in this project is important because the entire purpose of catalase (an enzyme) is to essentially catalyze the reaction by which hydrogen peroxide is decomposed to water and oxygen. Catalase prevents the accumulation of harmful toxins and protects cellular organelles and tissues from damage.

Prediction of results:

When the temperature is increased during reaction, the reaction may speed up. But if the temperature is decreased, the reaction may slow down considerably.

Independent Variable:

Temperature