Can

the magnetic stirrer speed affect the rate of catalase?

In the lab procedure, it was pretty much me and my group were testing on the
enzymes specifically which was catalase for in order to know the rate of reaction or like rate of
the catalase by factors or variables that can affect rate of catalase through time as well.There
were two trials we did, one was the control trail while the other one was the experimental trial so
basically, the control trial it had the same independent variable as other groups, but in the
experimental trial, our groups gets to change the independent variable to increase the rate of
catalase.But first enzymes are a type of protein that can be found in food and speeds up chemical
reaction either it can be synthesis that puts together the substrate or digestion that can break
down the substrate.Substrate basically means it attracts to the enzyme at the binding site and can
perform two process, enzymes need to fit with a substrate by having the same shape.One of the
ways that it can affect the shape of a enzyme is by either PH or temperature.Catalase breaks
down hydrogen peroxide or H202 that digested into water and oxygen due to it was naturally
produced,We know that the less peroxide decomposed, the 02 will have lower rates of catalase or
if was more peroxide produce than 02 will increase rate of reaction.Me and my team during the
lab, we used a computer to see our data and a gas pressure sensor to determine the rate of
catalase activity and much more minor equipment to set up the lab prodcure Our group predicted
that if we increase the speed of the magnettic stirrer then the rate of reaction will increase
because my team will increase the speed to 350, while the control trail is in 100 and it might
affect the shape of the catalase.

Catalase Lab Procedure

1. _____all_____Check that you have all the equipment below.

Computer with Internet access and Vernier LoggerPro software
LabQuest Mini
Vernier Gas Pressure Sensor
Two-hole black rubber stopper (top)
Plastic tubing with Luer-lock connectors
20-200 L micropippetor set to 100 L
micropipette tips
50mL graduated cylinder
125 mL or 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask
Magnetic stirrer
Stirring bar
Thermometer
Metal clamp stand
At the central table:
Hydrogen peroxide
Catalase enzyme suspension
2. ____all______Check that every person is wearing apron and goggles.
3. ____all______Check that everyone who will touch the enzyme or liquids is
wearing thick latex gloves (blue and yellow gloves)

On the blank lines, write the initials of the teammate who completed the task:
4. __________Open your laptop and open Logger Pro .
5. __________Click File Open and open the folder in Biology by
Vernier. Then choose 06 Enzyme (Pressure).
6. __________Connect the LabQuest Mini to the computer using the USB
cable, and connect the Gas Pressure Sensor to CH 1 of the LabQuest Mini.
Set up the laboratory apparatus as seen in the picture:
7. __________Measure out 50mL of 1.5% H2O2
and pour into an Erlenmeyer flask.
8. __________Carefully place a magnetic stir bar in
the flask.
9. __________Place the flask on a magnetic stir
plate. Use a clamp to fasten the flask to the ring
stand as shown. Position the flask at the center
of the magnetic stirrer.
10. __________Test the stirrer at 100 rpm.
11. __________Stop the stirrer.
12. __________Use the plastic tubing with two Luerlock connectors to connect the two-hole rubber
stopper assembly to the Gas Pressure Sensor as shown in the image. The
valve connected to the stopper should stay closed during this investigation.
Its closed when its flat, parallel to the floor

Complete all the steps below quickly to complete your test reaction.
13. __________Start data collection: click green Collect button on Logger Pro.
14. __________Using a micropipette, add 100 L of enzyme suspension to the
contents of the flask.
15. __________IMMEDIATELY tightly seal the flask by placing the stopper in and
HOLDING it in carefully.
16. __________IMMEDIATELY Turn the stir plate on to 100.
NOTE: If the pressure exceeds 130 kPa, the pressure inside the flask will be
too great and the rubber stopper will likely pop off. HOLD DOWN the
stopper or be ready to have uncovered chemicals on your desk
WAIT 200 seconds (3.3 minutes) while data is
collecting- Do NOT click STOP. Data collection will automatically stop
after 200 seconds.
17. __________Turn off the stir plate.
18. __________Carefully remove the stopper from the flask to relieve the
pressure.
19. __________Use a thermometer to test and record the temperature of the
liquid in your lab packet
20. __________Pour all chemical waste into a RED bucket.
21. __________Remove the magnetic bar.
22. __________ Dispose of your used micropipette tip.

23. ___all_______Take off your safety gear and place it neatly away.
24. Observe the graph generated using LoggerPro software (example shown
below).
25. Hold down Control on the keyboard and press j to zoom in the graph.
26. Highlight the section of the graph where the slope is increasing, by clicking
and dragging your mouse across it.

Me and my team even including other groups collected data from the
computers by using the gas pressure sensor in order to determine the rate of reaction which is the
catalase and then analyze our data from the graph like what really happened during the 3 minutes
and our main objective was that during the experimental trial is to increase the rate of
catalase.The overall results do not support my group original hypothesis because when my group
did the control trial, the rate of reaction was much more higher than our experimental trial
because my group predicted that if you change the speed of the magnetic stirrer than the rate of
catalase will increase but actually it decreased dramatically.The data of the control trial that my
group did had much higher rate of catalase than our experimental trial due to having the slope of
m=142.7 kPa/min which is the rate of reaction, even though the data of control trial was going
inconsistently it either increasing or decreases at random points.While the experimental trial had
the slope of m=-13.17 kPa/min, it suppose to increase the rate of reaction due to making the
magnetic stirrer speed at 350, but instead it decreases constantly compare to control trial.So the
way that the results make sense based on what we know about enzymes is that we know that
enzymes work best in the best temperature or either the best PH.Meaning that it doesnt matter

how much my group change the speed of the magnetic stirrer because it wont be effective or
just noting will happen to the rate of catalase except if it was put into best temperature or best PH
than it will affect the rate of catalase.
In conclusion, two problems occurred during lab procedure,
one was that we forgot to put all the hydrogen peroxide in the 50mL graduated cylinder and
second problem was that during experimental trial, me and my group wanted the rate of
catalase to increase but instead it decreased even though we increased the speed of the
magnetic stirrer up to 350.One of the ways during the experiment is that to make sure that we
did everything completly right and not missing any single step.Second way, i suggest to improve
in the experiment is that just change the equipment like the computer,gas pressure sensor or
other tools that might had problems and didnt worked properly.Third, i suggest to improve in

this experiment is by changing the variable specifically the independent variable like not the
speed of magnetic stirrer but instead for example have more PH it might increase the rate of
catalase.