Download which pennies are turned over by pennyase?

Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ___________ Pd: _____
#___
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 over the 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
1. How does the number of pennies turned
0
over change over time?
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)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
# of pennies turned over
2.
How does mixing in a “wrong” substrate
affect how many pennies are turned over
by pennyase?
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.
3.
How does temperature affect the time in
which pennies are turned over by pennyase?
Effect of Temperature
(Denaturation)
Hands normal pennyase
Taped hands pennyase
Time to turn 10
pennies (seconds)
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
Number of
pennies
metabolized
Time (seconds)
Key:
Conclusions:
1. What is an enzyme? What is the enzyme is this activity?
2.
What is a substrate? What is the substrate in this activity?
3.
Write a sentence to describe how mixing in another substrate affects how fast an enzyme works.
4.
Write a sentence to describe how temperature affects how fast an enzyme works.
5.
Why does an enzyme not work as well if its active site is changed?