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Biology · Enzymes · Effect of temperature
Effect of temperature on amylase
Five water baths run in parallel: 5, 20, 35, 50 and 65 °C. Each test tube contains starch + amylase at the same concentration. Every 30 seconds, a drop is tested with iodine on a white tile. When the iodine spot stays orange-brown, all the starch has been digested.
t = 0 s
Time-to-digest table
| Temp | t (s) | rate × 1000 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 °C | — | — |
| 20 °C | — | — |
| 35 °C | — | — |
| 50 °C | — | — |
| 65 °C | — | — |
Exam-style questions
1. Which temperature gave the highest rate? Why?
2. Why does rate FALL above ~40 °C?
3. Why is iodine sampling spot taken on a white tile?
4. Why warm amylase before adding starch?