10 ml of a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution is added to five test tubes. as the hydrogen peroxide decomposes to produce oxygen gas, the rate of oxygen production is rated on a scale of 0 - 5, 0 meaning "no oxygen" and 5 meaning "fast". to the other four test tubes of hydrogen peroxide, five drops of additional solutions are added. the solutions are indicated in the data table as well as the rate of oxygen production for each. the students concluded that iron compounds are a catalyst for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
another experiment was conducted by the students using hydrogen peroxide. the table shows the results of an experiment in which students placed hydrogen peroxide on several food samples and recorded the relative amount of fizz that each produced.
catalase experiment
food rate of fizzing (1-10)
boiled potato 0
raw potato 4
cooked liver 1
raw liver 10
the fizz was produced by oxygen bubbles released by the action of the enzyme catalase, which is found in almost every living cell. comment on how the new results impacts the conclusion from the initial experiment.
a) the second experimental conclusion supports the first; both sets of reactions are the result of enzyme action on hydrogen peroxide.
b) this conclusion refutes the original conclusion. hydrogen peroxide reacts only in the presence of living or once living tissue due to the enzyme callers.
c) although the experiments are different both show that a catalyst is responsible for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. the second experiment does not support or weaken the first.
d) the second experimental conclusion weakens the first. there is no way to definitely conclude that the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is the result of catalyst action of iron in the compounds.