Vinay Iyer

Candidate Number: 003527 001

May 2013

Catalase Reaction Rate

Introduction
Catalase is an enzyme that catalyses in vivo decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (

):

The reaction rate for the decomposition without the enzyme is rather slow however in
presence of the enzyme, is easily measurable. In this experiment, the reaction rate of the
enzyme is determined for different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide by measuring the
rate of released of oxygen gas.

Research Question
How does the concentration of hydrogen peroxide affect the rate of release of oxygen gas in
its catalytic decomposition aided by enzyme Catalase from an appropriate source (here,
yeast)?

Variables
Independent
Concentration of H2O2

Dependent
Rate of release of oxygen gas

Controlled
Volume of H2O2 added
Amount of Catalase added
Temperature

Control of Variables
The volume of H2O2 can be kept constant by using an accurate measuring cylinder. The
amount of catalase (moles) depends on its concentration and its volume. The concentration of
catalase in the cell of a unicellular organism would be roughly the same due to universal
homogeneity of cellular components and chemicals on a macroscopic scale. Thus, a mass of
yeast cells can be used to provide the catalase. Equalising the volume taken of this standard
mixture would standardise the amount of catalase.
The temperature of the surroundings can be controlled by monitoring the experiment and
conducting it away from sunlight.

Vinay Iyer

Candidate Number: 003527 001

May 2013

Materials Required

150 cm3 H2O2 solutions each of concentrations: 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 mol dm-3
1 Measuring cylinder of 50 cm3
50 g dried activated yeast
250 cm3 beaker filled with 150 cm3 of tap water
1 Glass Stirrer
1 Conical Flask (250 cm3) fitted with a one holed stopper (rubber bung)
1 Gas Syringe
1 Clamp Stand
1 Stopwatch

Procedure
1. Fit the gas syringe in the hole in the stopper and clamp the gas syringe using the clamp
stand to hold it in place
2. Mix the yeast into the beaker with water
3. Stir solution with the glass stirrer until it is mixed well (remove any lumps formed)
4. Pour 50 cm3 of the hydrogen peroxide solution of 0.5 mol dm-3 into the conical flask
5. Measure out and pour 10 cm3 of the yeast into the flask
6. Immediately, fit back the stopper and start the stopwatch
7. Measure and note the time taken for the gas volume to stabilise
8. Divide the stable volume by the average time taken to find rate and note it
9. Empty out the contents of the flask and set the gas syringe back to its original position
10. Repeat steps 3 to 9 another two times.
11. Find the mean of all the three readings and find the error by using the formula for half
the statistical range of the values
12. Repeat steps 3 to 11 for all other concentrations: 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 mol dm-3
13. Plot the values to find the relation between rate and concentration

Data Collection and Processing

Raw data
Concentration
/ mol dm-3
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5

Volume of O2
collected / cm3
9
25
56
100
145

Time taken / s
Trial 2
Trial 3
37
36
44
44
60
61
81
82
108
107

Trial 1
35
45
62
83
105

Mean
36.0
44.3
61.0
82.0
106.7

Vinay Iyer

Candidate Number: 003527 001

May 2013

Processed data
Concentration
/ mol dm-3
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5

Trial 1
0.257
0.556
0.903
1.205
1.381

Rate / cm3 s-1

Trial 2
Trial 3
0.243
0.250
0.568
0.568
0.933
0.918
1.235
1.220
1.343
1.355

Error in Rate /
cm3 s-1
0.007
0.006
0.015
0.015
0.019

Mean
0.250
0.564
0.918
1.220
1.360

Data Presentation
1.600
1.400

Average Rate / cm3 s-1

1.200
1.000
0.800
0.600
0.400
0.200
0.000
0

Concentration / mol

dm-3

Conclusion and Evaluation

The graph suggests on linear relationship between the concentration and average rate of the
reaction. When the line drawn is extended, it meets the y-axis very close to the origin. Also,
the line nearly touches or passes through all the error bars of this experiment. These
observations suggest that the two quantities of rate and concentration of peroxide are directly
proportional. This is thus an example of a first-order reaction.
[

The error bars on the graph are particularly small indicating that the experiment did not suffer
much from random errors. The y-intercept is also small indicating that there were not many
systematic errors. The reason for the low random errors could be because of the use of an
accurate gas syringe and fairly pure reactants during the experiment.
3

Vinay Iyer

Candidate Number: 003527 001

May 2013

In the second step of the procedure, the yeast is put into the tap water of the beaker. The
reason for this is that tap water is more concentrated as compared to distilled water. This
prevents the yeast cells from being in a hypotonic solution and from altering its homeostasis.
However, tap water is considerably impure and can contain various substances that restrain or
enhance the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. This may have caused some amount of
error, even though it is not very visible in the error bars of the graph. It may not be visible in
the graph because the tap water taken at that point in time may have not affected the peroxide
decomposition.
To prevent the use of tap water that could potentially have such components, distilled water
can be chosen such that it is mixed with a chemical that neither affects the yeast nor the
peroxide. In such a situation, the osmotic balance of the yeast can be maintained; however,
the concentration of that substance must also be taken into account.