The biology classes used pennies to represent a chemical reaction.
In the investigation, groups explored how 3 different factors can affect a chemical reaction. Their hands represent an enzyme, the pennies on the ground represent the substrate, and the chemical reaction appears when the pennies are flipped heads up on the table.
Groups completed 4 trials which were 10 seconds each: baseline control group, denaturation, coenzyme, and competitive inhibitor.
Trial 1, Baseline control, one student sat on the floor and had to use one hand to flip up the pennies on the table. (Images 1-2)
Trial 2, Denatured, the student had to use a taped thumb to flip the pennies. (Images 3-4)
Trial 3, Coenzyme, two students sat on the floor and worked together to flip pennies. (Images 5-6)
Trial 4, Competitive Inhibitor, a ball of tape was attached to the underside of their forefingers, leaving only their thumb and the wad of tape to pick up and flip the pennies. (Image 7)
