Woodsplintase

In this activity you will simulate enzyme function in response to a variety of changes. Your fingers are the enzyme woodsplintase, which breaks wooden splints in half. The enzyme substrate is a wooden splint. To perform the reaction, place a wooden splint between the thumb and forefinger of both hands and break it in half. Always break the splints one at a time.

1. Select ten wooden splints and spread them out on a desk. Do not line them up.

2. With one partner timing, determine how long it takes to break the ten wooden splints as fast as possible.

3. Calculate the rate of enzyme activity in wooden splints per second.

4. Select twenty new wooden splints and spread them out on a desk. Do not line them up.

5. With one partner timing, determine how long it takes to break the twenty wooden splints as fast as possible.

6. Calculate the rate of enzyme activity in wooden splints per second.

7. Select ten new wooden splints and spread them out on a desk. Do not line them up.

8. This time both partners will break splints. Measure the time required for both partners to break the splints simultaneously.

9. Calculate the rate of enzyme activity in wooden splints per second.

10. If time permits, put on the heat-resistant gloves.

11. Select ten new wooden splints and spread them out on a desk. Do not line them up.

12. Determine how long it takes to break ten wooden splints as fast as possible.

13. Calculate the rate of enzyme activity in wooden splints per second.

Questions

a) Under what conditions did the fastest reaction rate occur?

b) What is each part of this activity meant to model?

c) How could the procedure be modified to simulate an experiment showing the effect of

            i) competitive inhibitor

            ii) noncompetitive inhibition

            iii) change in pH

            iv) change in temperature

            v) non-reversible inhibitor