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8. Potato cells contain the enzyme catalase - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 8 - 2018 - Paper 1

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8. Potato cells contain the enzyme catalase. This enzyme catalyses the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water: Figure 15 shows what happened when a s... show full transcript

Worked Solution & Example Answer:8. Potato cells contain the enzyme catalase - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 8 - 2018 - Paper 1

Step 1

Which term describes the hydrogen peroxide in this reaction?

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Answer

In this reaction, hydrogen peroxide serves as a substrate. The term 'substrate' refers to the substance that an enzyme acts upon. Here, catalase catalyzes the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide.

Step 2

Explain why the student used potato discs with the same mass.

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Answer

Using potato discs of the same mass ensures that the surface area and amount of catalase enzyme present in each disc are consistent. This controls for variables that could affect the reaction rate, allowing for a more accurate comparison of how different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide impact the time taken for the discs to rise. Without this control, results could be skewed by differences in enzyme available for reaction.

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