The Effect of Temperature on Amylase Activity.
Our experiment demonstrated how different temperatures affected the rate of activity of amylase. Our results show that activity rate increases with temperature up to a certain point and then begins to decline. This only partially supported our hypothesis, that the rate of activity would increase as a function of rise in temperature. .
The time it took for amylase to transform starch to maltose was recorded at four different temperatures. The reaction took 2.5 minutes to occur at 4°C. The time decreased by 80% at the next temperature interval, taking approximately 30 seconds at 22°C. At 37°C, the time decreased again to below 30 seconds. For this portion of the experiment, our prediction was correct in that a higher temperature would yield more activity. .
Our hypothesis was contradicted with the results of the 80°C test tube. We terminated the experiment at 10 minutes, before the reaction ever took place. At this extreme temperature, the enzyme denatured. .
Temperature appears to be a major factor of enzyme activity rate. Wasserman (1973) states that "at very low temperatures, enzymes are not active catalysts; at very high temperatures, they, like all proteins, will coagulate causing irreversible damage to their molecular structure."" This supports our resulting data of low activity at low temperatures and no activity at very high temperatures. .
The fastest reaction occurred at 37°C, the approximate temperature of the body(Barnhart, personal communication). This is an appropriate relation because salivary amylase begins to break down starch immediately after it enters the mouth (Galan, 1992). At this temperature the enzyme would be able to perform its duty most efficiently. .
One weakness in our experiment was the minimal amount of temperature variance. With additional data of reaction time vs. temperature we could find a more accurate result of the ideal temperature for amylase activity and the point at which the reaction begins to slow down.