Enzymes

Enzymes are biological chemicals made in the body.

Investigate the action of amylase on starch; 

identify the substrate, product and enzyme

Apparatus

List of Tasks

1. Make up a starch Solution

2. Pour an equal amount it into three testubes

3. Add some Salivary Amylase to two the testtubes with starch, by means of a straw or dropper 

4. Keep it at 37 oC by putting it in a water bath, keep one of the testtubes with starch and amylase at a cooler temp.

5. Test it. 

   1. Add Iodine to the testtubes & observe 

   2. or add benedicts solution and warm for a few minutes 

Results

When we tested the Starch and Salivary Amylase solution with Iodine we found the Starch was ___________

The one without Salivary Amylase went _________ because it had ________

When we tested the Starch and Salivary Amylase solution with Benedicts Solution it went ________ because it had _________

The one without Salivary Amylase stayed  _________ because it had ________

Conclusion

The Enzyme Salivary Amylase changed the Substrate Starch into the Product Sugar

Comments

Make up a starch Solution

Add a small (1-2g) of starch to some warm water, making a paste, add cold water up to about 250ml (this will be too much)

Add some Salivary Amylase to the starch

There is chemical stock of this enzyme, but in order to see it really work, from the body, add a dolop of human saliva. 

However, Saliva will contain germs (bacteria and viruses) from the donor. Therefore we should use a section of a drinking straw, to deliver the saliva into the test tube. 

It is Essential that the Saliva Donor disposes of this straw without putting it down or allowing it to touch ANYTHING or ANYBODY before it gets sterilized in a Bleach Solution.

Keep it at 37oC 

Hold the test tube in your hand for about 5-8 mins, body temperature is 37

Test it.

Add Iodine to the solution and see what happens ? 

Add Iodine to a solution that had no Salivary Amylase added, what happens?

Add Iodine to a solution that was not kept at 37oC, what happens?

Add Bendicts solution to test for sugar instead of adding Iodine, see what happens!

Results 

When we added the Iodine, the one with Starch only went Dark Blue

The one with starch & Saliva did not go Blue ... it has no starch.

Conclusions 

Salivary Amalayse converted the Starch into Sugar ! 

The Substrate, the Enzyme, the Product.

There are 3 sections here, 

the 1st the substrate this is the raw material upon which can be changed to another material

the Enzyme is the biological chemical that allow the Substrate turn into the useful Product

The Product is the substance that the body wants and has to create enzymes to produce it!

the caterpillar, coccun, butterfly.

substrate, enzyme, product

starch → saliva → sugar

The caterpillar is the organism that starts this change, but it does not change into a butterfly without first creating a coccun.

The Coccun is not living, but allows the caterpillar change into a butterfly.

The Butterfly is only come about by being metamorphazised from a caterpillar, but that needed a coccun to happen.

Write out the following and fill in the gaps as the word fits.

Enzymes are _______ found in living cells which act as biological _______ . Enzymes have a specific _______

which means they can only work on ____reaction each. Enzymes work best at a particular temperature called the _______ temperature. Above this temperature the enzymes are ________(or denatured). This is because their ________ is changed. Enzymes also work best at an optimum ______.

one         shape         pH         proteins         catalysts             optimum destroyed            function

Our bodies carry out many functions using enzymes.  These biological chemicals help along natural reactions in much the same way as a catalyst does in chemistry (check out more on catalysts here)