How to Boil Catalase

Catalase is a vital enzyme found in animal and plant cells. It's main job in our bodies is to convert hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen gas. When you apply hydrogen peroxide on a cut and it foams, that's the catalase in your body reacting to it. Boiling an enzyme denatures it, altering its chemical makeup and inactivating it. You can test this out with catalase by first applying catalase to hydrogen peroxide and watch the reaction. Then apply boiled catalase to hydrogen peroxide and note the difference.

Things You'll Need

• 5 mL catalase
• Test tube
• Beaker
• Water
• Hot plate

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Pour 5 mL fresh catalase into a test tube.

   • 2

     Fill a beaker with water and put it on the hot plate. Turn on the hot plate.

   • 3

     Place the catalase-filled test tube into the beaker of water and boil it for five minutes.