Payton Azhocar

Jackson
Biology P1
16 November 2015
II.
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I.
Catalyst vs. Enzyme Lab
Purpose: What is the difference between a catalyst and an enzyme?
Hypothesis: If substances containing enzymes are placed in similar environments

as a catalyst, then the differences may be determined.

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Procedure: *See procedure sheet

Data & Observations: *See data sheet
Conclusion: The purpose of this lab was to determine the difference between a

catalyst and an enzyme. It was hypothesized that if substances containing enzymes are
placed in similar environments as a catalyst, then differences may be determined. Several
combinations of catalysts and enzymes were placed in test tubes with similar
environments, but the most significant test tubes of the experiment were test tubes seven
and eight.The contents of test tube seven consisted of a mixture of two millimeters of
water, a pinch of sand, and a small cube of liver, previously mixed in a mortar and grind,
and two milliliters of hydrogen peroxide. Once the mixture and the hydrogen peroxide
met in the test tube lots of foam and bubbles formed from the red substance at the bottom
of the test tube. In test tube eight, two milliliters of water and a small piece of liver was
placed in a boiling water bath for five minutes. After five minutes, the test tube was
removed from the water bath and two milliliters of hydrogen peroxide was poured into
the tube. Test tube eight showed no reaction or change whatsoever. The data and
observations from this experiment proved the hypothesis correct. After analyzing the data
and observations recorded on the data sheet, it was determined that enzymes react based
on their specific environment and are organic , whereas catalysts reactions remain
unaffected by their environment and can be inorganic compounds. The reaction in test
tube seven was the highest rated reaction at three out of three because of the increased
surface area and therefore increased amount of working enzymes resulting in a significant
reaction. Test tube eight was the lowest rated reaction at zero out of three because when

placed in the boiling water, the enzymes failed to function resulting in no reaction. The
controls in this experiment were the equal and precise amount of contents. the similar
sanitary test tubes used in the experiment, two milliliters of hydrogen peroxide used in
each test tube, and the same scale used to rate the reactions of each test tube. The
manipulated variables in this experiment were the different environments within the test
tubes, and the contents of the test tube. The responding variable was the reaction in each
test tube. Several errors could have occurred during this experiment including the
unequal measurement of liver, and the uneven mixing of water sand and liver in test tube
seven as some mixtures could have more surface area than others. To conclude, this
experiment showed that catalysts do not react to their environment and can be inorganic,
while enzymes are greatly affected by their environment and are organic compounds.