Hydrolysis of lipids using an enzyme called “lipase”Research and justificationEnzymesEnzymes are made up of proteins available in each cell of 'a living plant and animal [9]. Enzymes are very important for biochemical reactions. They act as catalysts and accelerate biochemical reactions using “an alternative reaction pathway with lower activation energy” [5]. Enzymes trigger a chemical reaction or allow it to occur more quickly [9]. The enzymes therefore do not undergo lasting changes; remain unchanged at the end of the reaction [9]. Enzymes are very selective, they catalyze specific reactions. Their specificity depends on the form of the enzyme. Enzymes are made up of globular proteins and non-proteins [5]. In a reaction, two molecules must collide in the right direction with adequate energy. This means that there must be enough energy in the reaction to allow the molecules to overcome the activation energy [5]. Activation energy (Ea) is the minimum energy needed in a reaction to trigger the molecules into a state in which they can carry out a chemical reaction [6]. All enzymes have an active site; it is the part of the enzyme where molecules with the correct shape and functional groups bind to the enzyme [5]. The reactive molecule that binds to the enzyme is called a substrate [5]. Enzymes are known to have substrate specificity. The path an enzyme takes when used in a reaction [5]: There are two theories about enzymes performing reactions called "lock and key theory" and "induced fit theory". The substrate specificity of enzymes can be explained using the Lock and Key hypothesis [8]. This theory states that a specific substrate would only fit into an active site of an enzyme[9]. ...... middle of paper ...... the enzyme, because the shape of the lipase can be changed and the lipid molecules may not be able to bind to it and form a reaction. Therefore, I will ensure that the temperature is constant throughout the experiment to obtain valid and reliable results with minimal abnormal results. On the other hand, I will manipulate the concentration of lipase added to the solution. I'm going to change the volume of lipase. I will have 6 different lipid concentrations because I would be performing 6 different experiments to collect a wide range of data. I would use concentrations such as 0cc, 2cc, 3cc, 4cc, 5cc, and 6cc. I would have a control group where I would not use lipase to see if the pH change occurs because of the lipase or the bile salt emulsifying the fat. I would use a control group to allow me to see the changes that occur in the lipids between adding and not adding lipase..