Lab 2e: Variation in the structure and properties of carbohydrates
Purpose:
To find the difference in structures, textures, and tastes of common carbohydrates.
To see how the structure affects the carbbohydrates' characteristics.
To see how the structure affects the carbbohydrates' characteristics.
Materials:
Sucrose
Glucose (dextrose) Fructose Galactose Maltose Lactose |
Starch, soluble
Cellulose Paper Towels Plastic Spoons Dixie Paper Cups Tap Water |
Procedure:
Part I: Gathering Structural Information
1. Go on the internet and find the structure for each carbohydrate in the materials list. 2. Put the image of the structure on your website. |
Part II: Comparing the Characteristics of Carbohydrates
1. Using a plastic spoon, scoop out the sucrose from the dixie plate and place it on a paper towel. Label the area with sucrose "Sucrose".
2. Dip your finger in the sucrose and taste it.
3. Describe the sweetness on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the sweetest) and texture of the sucrose.
4. Using a fresh spoon each time, repeat this process for the next seven carbohydrates.
5. Look up the functions of each carbohydrate, and fill out the data table with your results.
1. Using a plastic spoon, scoop out the sucrose from the dixie plate and place it on a paper towel. Label the area with sucrose "Sucrose".
2. Dip your finger in the sucrose and taste it.
3. Describe the sweetness on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the sweetest) and texture of the sucrose.
4. Using a fresh spoon each time, repeat this process for the next seven carbohydrates.
5. Look up the functions of each carbohydrate, and fill out the data table with your results.
Data/Results:
Data Analysis:
The fructose, sucrose, and glucose were the sweetest to me. The sweetness of the carbohydrate seemed to vary directly with the number of rings; the less rings there were, the sweeter the carbohydrate. The number of rings also affected the texture - the less rings, the more granular the powder was. The polysaccharides were were finer in texture, more like a powder. The monosaccharides and the disaccharides both help to either produce or transport energy in the cell.
Reflection:
I thought this lab was really fun, but my partner was not able to taste the sugar. My partner and I worked efficiently, and we had no trouble at all. Of course, it would have been better if my partner was able to taste the carbohydrates as well, because then we would be able to compare our results. This may have attributed to some errors in our data. Otherwise, I do not think there was anything we could improve; besides, maybe, the noise level of the classroom, and the immature behavior of some of our classmates.