Enzyme Introduction and Virtual Lab: Enzyme Controlled Reactions
NOTE: This assignment has two parts. Please submit it after completing both parts.
It may take you some time to finish the work, please save the draft, Moodle also has an auto save feature, so you can complete the assignment in more than one sitting. Please write title and copy/paste questions. ( 5 Points)
Part 1: Enzyme Introduction: 4 Points
Enzymes are biological molecules (typically proteins) that significantly speed up the rate of virtually all of the chemical reactions that take place within cells.
Learn more about enzymes by watching the video below:
If you feel like the video went a little fast, follow up and read this article: How Do Enzymes Work?
Do! 1. Define the following terms: 2 Points
- active site
- substrates
Do! 2. List two-three characteristics enzymes have in common. 2 Points
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Part 2: Virtual Lab: Enzyme Controlled Reactions: 16 Points
Note: If the lab does not work on your computer. Either you can first try to down load the flash/use a different browser/computer or choose to do an alternate assignment. Please write a note on top of your assignment that you are doing an alternate assignment.
Do either Lab or Alternate Assignment!
Alternate Assignment: As an alternative assignment, you can write an essay in 100 or more words on "How do substance concentration and pH affect enzyme controlled reactions? ". In order to earn full points you have to produce quality work and explain in detail.
Virtual Lab:
In this activity, you are going to investigate the following question:
How to substrate concentration and pH affect enzyme-controlled reactions. Click here to open the virtual lab in a new tab (keep this window open too, you will be going back and forth between the lab and Moodle).
Notice on the left side of the virtual lab, there are directions and you will follow these carefully. As you proceed through the lab, you will build a table (see samples below) to record your results. You can do this on paper (take a photo at the end), in Google Docs or Google Sheets, or in a word processing or spreadsheet software of your choice.
You will do TWO experiments. The first one to test the impact of the amount of substrate (keep pH constant) and the second one to test the impact of the change in pH of the solution in the test tubes (keep substrate amount constant). You will keep track of your data in tables like the ones below.
| Amount of Substrate (g) | Molecules formed per minute |
|---|---|
| ___ | |
| ___ | |
| ___ | |
| ___ | |
| ___ |
| pH | Molecules formed per minute |
|---|---|
| ___ | |
| ___ | |
| ___ | |
| ___ | |
| ___ |
In this assignment, you will turn in the following:
- Your 2 tables (see samples above) as a .jpg file, .pdf file, .doc, .xls file attachment
- 2 graphs of your data as a .jpg file or a .pdf file attachment
- Answers to the following questions (typed in the submission box.) Use complete sentences and academic language.:
1. Describe the relationship between substrate concentration and the initial reaction rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction.
2. Is this a linear relationship?
3. What happens to the initial reaction rate as substrate concentration increases?
4. Explain the influence of pH on the rate of chemical reactions in this experiment. What physically happens to the enzyme? What is the ideal pH?
FAQ
What should I use to create my tables?
You have a few options.
- Create them on paper. Take a picture with a your cell phone camera if you have one and send the image to your computer and attach the file. File type will likely be .jpg.
- Create in Google Docs or Google Sheets. Click on File at the end and download as a .pdf file and submit that file.
- Create using a word processing or spreadsheet program like Microsoft Word or Excel. Your files types will be one of these: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx for example.
What should I use to create my graph(s)?
You have a few options.
- Create them on paper. Take a picture with a your cell phone camera if you have one and send the image to your computer and attach the file. File type will likely be .jpg.
- Create in Google Sheets. If you highlight your data, you can click on this tool to create a chart/graph from that data. If you haven't done it before, you might have to work at figuring it out.
- Use this site to build a graph: Create A Graph and download it and submit that file. From a webpage you can also hold down the control key and click on an image (like your graph) and save the image to your computer.