Experiment on Starch Mixed with Amylase Planning Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to find out what happens when starch is mixed with amylase. I also intend to investigate the effects of changing one or more variables involved in the experiment. Key Factors: Listed below are each of the key factors present in the experiment and the effect each of them can have on the investigation... Temperature: The temperature of the room in which the experiment is carried out will determine how quickly does amylase work because amylase is most effective at body temperature, which is between 37 and 40°C, and less effective in more extreme conditions. This is because amylase is an enzyme found within the body; therefore it is necessary for it to be more effective in these conditions. pH Level: The optimal pH level for amylase is approximately pH 7.5. This is the pH level of human saliva, which is the substance in which amylase is found. Saliva is a neutral substance; thus amylase is more efficient under these conditions and may become less efficient under more acidic or alkaline circumstances. Amount of Starch: The amount of starch present during the experiment is important, as the more starch present, the faster amylase will break it down. This is because amylase is an enzyme designed to break down large amounts of starch as it will usually have to handle large amounts of foods in your mouth that contain starch. From then on, amylase will also digest as much starch as possible; the enzyme is usually unable to complete this process before the food is ingested. The Introductio...... middle of the paper ......xexperiment, the first consists of repeating the investigation several times to ensure that the curves and gradients that I find on the graphs are correct and not anomalous. The second change I would make would be to collect more results within the range, especially around body temperature, as this would provide more precise results and find out more precisely what the optimal temperature the amylase reaches. I would also have chosen to use a digital thermometer and not rely on the human eye to take the reading and therefore provide more accurate results. Validity - I believe that the survey I carried out was valid given the variables I chose and tested the objective very well. I don't think I would have reaped such good results if I hadn't used the variables I used.