How do you demonstrate the effect of a catalyst in the lab?

You can demonstrate the effect of a catalyst in the lab by conducting an experiment using hydrogen peroxide and yeast.

In a typical experiment, you would start by preparing two identical solutions of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a compound that naturally breaks down into water and oxygen, but this process is quite slow at room temperature. The aim of the experiment is to show that adding a catalyst can speed up this reaction.

In the first part of the experiment, you would observe the rate of reaction of the hydrogen peroxide solution without any catalyst. You could do this by measuring the amount of oxygen gas produced over a set period of time. This would give you a baseline rate of reaction.

Next, you would add a small amount of yeast to the second hydrogen peroxide solution. Yeast acts as a catalyst in this reaction because it contains an enzyme called catalase, which speeds up the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide. After adding the yeast, you would measure the rate of oxygen gas production in the same way as before.

By comparing the rates of reaction in the two solutions, you can clearly see the effect of the catalyst. The solution with the yeast should produce oxygen gas much more quickly than the solution without yeast, demonstrating that the catalyst has significantly increased the rate of reaction.

Remember, a catalyst is not used up in the reaction, so even a small amount of yeast can have a big effect. This experiment is a simple but effective way to demonstrate the role of catalysts in chemical reactions. It's important to handle all chemicals with care and follow your teacher's safety instructions.