Enzymes are proteins that speed up or slow down a chemical reaction and are not consumed by the reaction. They play an important role in the living process. The most easily understood use of enzymes is in the digestive process.
Digestion can include nutritious molecules or potentially harmful molecules like alcohol.
Students will use active enzymes in their saliva to demonstrate how enzymes work on common food molecules. They are also asked to apply this concept to alcoholism. Students will work with active enzymes and explore the boundaries of their activity. Demonstration - add hydrogen peroxide to separate beakers containing potato cubes and liver extract. Have students list their observations and formulate an explanation.