Introduce students to the biochemistry of enzymes
Useful for chemistry, biology, and biochemistry courses
Teach what enzymes are and how they function
Investigate how time and concentration affect enzyme function
 
Grade 9–College. Explore the biochemical function of enzymes with this 4-experiment kit. Students study pepsin, invertase, and amylase to understand their effects on the reactions they catalyze. In the 1st experiment, students incubate a piece of meat with pepsin to provide insight on how the digestive system works and how enzymes function in the real world. In the 2nd experiment, students test for invertase digestion of sucrose to fructose and glucose using the DNS assay. In the 3rd experiment, students study the effect of time on an enzyme reaction. Finally, students use amylase to explore how enzyme concentration affects how quickly reaction products accumulate. An optional extension activity uses a spectrophotometer to quantify experimental results. Kit activities can be completed in 4 lab periods. Kit materials are designed for 8 groups of 2 to 4 students each and include some perishable items.