Enzyme Lab

Title: Enzymes and Collagen Lab

Abstract:  In this lab, we added three different kind of fresh fruits (kiwi, pineapple and mango) to three different petri dishes with jello solution in it and compared the solidification result with the control. We are able to figure out how and why the enzyme in different fruits react differently with collagen in jello.

Introduction:  We learned about enzymes and how temperature and pH value affects its function. Enzymes are catalytic proteins. They act as catalysts in the body to help produce and speed up chemical reactions. Every chemical reaction between molecules involves bonds breaking and forming. Enzymes lower the activation energy, which is the initial energy needed to start a chemical reaction. There are special region on the enzymes called the "active site." A substrate that has the same exact shape will fit into that region and react with the enzyme.  The substrate will then change its shape as they bind and creates a product in the end. The environment of the enzyme and the substrate can affect the reaction. Temperature and pH value could alter the active site of the enzyme and changes its shape, causing the substrate unable to react with the enzyme.

Hypothesis:   If we put in same amount of three different kinds of fresh fruits in the three Petri dishes with the same amount of jello solution in them, not all of them will solidify because the enzymes in the fresh fruits react differently with the collagen in the jello.

Materials:
Four Petri dishes
0.2g fresh cubed kiwi
0.2g fresh cubed pineapple
0.2g fresh cubed mango
39.4ml hot water
39.4ml cold water,
Stirring rod, markers
6.6g jello powder
Measuring cylinder
Beakers.

Procedure:
1. Pour in 6.6g of jello powder into the beaker and mix it with 39.4ml of hot water. Stir the solution with a string rod for about 3 minutes.
2. Add in 39.4 ml of cold water into the solution.
3. Put 0.2g fresh cubed kiwi, 0.2g fresh cubed pineapple and 0.2g fresh cubed mango on three different Petri dishes.
4. Pour in equal amount of jello solution into the three Petri dish with fruits and one without fruits as the control. Label each lid with a marker.
5. Put all the Petri dishes into the fridge until they all solidified.

Results:
In the petri dish with no fruits, the jello solidified the way it was supposed to because it was the control.
In the petri dish with fresh mangos, the jello also solidified and didn't do anything to the mangos, so it proves that the enzymes in the mangos worked well with the collagen in the jello.
In the petri dish with fresh pineapples, the jello solution is still water and the same as how it was in the beginning. The jello did not solidify because the enzymes in the pineapples reacted differently compared to the control.
In the petri dish with fresh kiwi, the jello solution is still the same as it was in the pineapple experiment.