Part 1: How Fast Pennyase Works

Pennyase Activity

Introduction:

Enzymes are proteins made by living cells. They act as catalysts and affect the rate of a chemical reaction. For example, the enzyme amylase in your saliva speeds up the breakdown down of starch (the substrate) into simple sugars. The enzyme itself does not get used up during the chemical reaction.

Objective:

In this activity you will become the enzyme called "pennyase", that picks up and turns pennies over (the substrate) in timed intervals. Calculations will be completed to determine how many pennies are turned over per second to determine the rate of reaction of the enzyme pennyase.Consider that your hands are like an enzyme called pennyase. Your hands (the enzyme) can turn overthe pennies (your substrate).

Materials:

• Pennies (75)
• Paperclips
• Tape

Part 1: How fast pennyase works

Directions: Turn over as many pennies as you can without looking. You can only pick up one penny at a time. Record how many pennies are turned over in 10 second intervals.

Time (seconds) / # of pennies turned over
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90

Part 2: Adding another substrate into the mix

Directions: Mix some paperclips in with your pennies. Turn over as many pennies as you can without looking. You can only pick up one penny at a time. Record how many pennies are turned over in 10 second intervals.

Time (seconds) / # of pennies turned over
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90

Part 3: How temperature affects how fast pennyase works

Directions: Time how long it takes you to turn 10 pennies without looking. Then, tape your fingers together. Try turning the 10 pennies again while timing yourself.

Effect of Temperature
(Denaturation) / Time to turn 10 pennies (seconds)
Hands normal pennyase
Taped handspennyase

Graph your data from Part 1 and connect the dots to make a line. Then, graph your data from Part 2 and connect the dots to make a line. Use different colors for each line and make a key to the graph. Finally, answer the questions.

Pennyase Efficiency

Conclusions:

1. What is an enzyme? What is the enzyme is this activity?

1. What is a substrate? What is the substrate in this activity?

1. Write a sentence to describe how mixing in another substrate affects how fast an enzyme works.

1. Write a sentence to describe how temperature affects how fast an enzyme works.

1. Why does an enzyme not work as well if its active site is changed?