Lab 2e ~ Variation in the Structure and Properties of Carbohydrates
Purpose
What are the differences in the structure of some common carbohydrates? What are the differences in texture and taste of different carbohydrates? How does their structure affect their characteristics?
What are the differences in the structure of some common carbohydrates? What are the differences in texture and taste of different carbohydrates? How does their structure affect their characteristics?
Materials
Sucrose Glucose Fructose Galactose |
Maltose Lactose Starch, soluble Cellulose |
Petri dishes, 60x15 mm, sterile Plastic spoons Paper cups Tap water |
Procedure
Part I: Gathering Structural Information
1. Go online and research the eight different molecules. Then post a labeled image of each on your website.
Part II: Comparing the Characteristics of Carbohydrates
1. Label your paper towel with the eight different molecules.
2. Place a small scoop of each molecule on the paper towel.
3. Taste each sample with your finger.
4. Evaluate the sweetness of each molecule. Assign a sweetness table to describe the sweetness.
5. Record information in a data table.
6. Analyze data.
Part I: Gathering Structural Information
1. Go online and research the eight different molecules. Then post a labeled image of each on your website.
Part II: Comparing the Characteristics of Carbohydrates
1. Label your paper towel with the eight different molecules.
2. Place a small scoop of each molecule on the paper towel.
3. Taste each sample with your finger.
4. Evaluate the sweetness of each molecule. Assign a sweetness table to describe the sweetness.
5. Record information in a data table.
6. Analyze data.
Data Results
Part I: Gathering Structural Information
I went on google images and posted a slideshow on the eight different carbohydrates. The slideshow is below.
I went on google images and posted a slideshow on the eight different carbohydrates. The slideshow is below.
Part II: Comparing the Characteristics of Carbohydrates
After testing each carbohydrate for sweetness, my lab partner and I created a data chart. We also made a sweetness scale.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Nothing Not sweet Sweet Really Sweet
After testing each carbohydrate for sweetness, my lab partner and I created a data chart. We also made a sweetness scale.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Nothing Not sweet Sweet Really Sweet
Carbohydrate
Tested Sucrose Maltose Galactose Starch Cellulose Fructose Glucose Lactose |
Type of Carbohydrate
disaccharide disaccharide monosaccharide polysaccharide polysaccharide monosaccharide monosaccharide disaccharide |
Degree of Sweetness
8 6 4 0 0 10 9 2 |
Color
clear white white dirty white dirty white clear white white |
Texture
grainy clumpy powder powder flour fine-grained crystal-like fine-grained powder |
Functions
energy, transport energy energy fuel for energy structure energy energy energy |
Data Analysis
Purpose Question - What are the differences in the structure of some common carbohydrates? What are the differences in texture and taste of different carbohydrates? How does their structure affect their characteristics?
There were three different carbohydrate structures. There were monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. They are distinguishable because of the number of bases a carbohydrate has. A monosaccharide os the simplest of the group because it has only one base. A disaccharide is a carbohydrate with two bases. A polysaccharide is the most complex carbohydrate. It is any carbohydrate that has more than two bases. These are relatively rare. My lab partner Jason and I concluded that clearer carbohydrates were sweeter. The dirtier colored carbohydrates tasted like nothing. We did not see any correlation from sweetness and texture.
1. Which carbohydrates were sweetest? Does the number of sugar rings affect how sweet the carbohydrate tastes?
Sucrose, Fructose, and Glucose were the sweetest three carbohydrates. These three were both monosaccharides and disaccharides. I think that the simplest carbohydrates are the sweetest.
2. Are there any other observed characteristics that appear affected by the number of sugar rings?
Both polysaccharides were very bland tasting. Almost all of the disaccharides and monosaccharides were sweet-tasting.
3. Did all testers give each sample the same rating? List three reasons why the rating of the same samples could be different for different tasters.
Different people have different taste buds. Other groups might have used different rating systems. The other groups at Jason and my table all had very similar test results because we collaborated with each other.
4. Look at the structural formulas for the monosaccharides. Are the structurally similar ones alike in other characteristics? Explain.
Glucose, Fructose, and Galactose all had one atom of oxygen. There textures were all different but they all were a whitish-clear color.
There were three different carbohydrate structures. There were monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. They are distinguishable because of the number of bases a carbohydrate has. A monosaccharide os the simplest of the group because it has only one base. A disaccharide is a carbohydrate with two bases. A polysaccharide is the most complex carbohydrate. It is any carbohydrate that has more than two bases. These are relatively rare. My lab partner Jason and I concluded that clearer carbohydrates were sweeter. The dirtier colored carbohydrates tasted like nothing. We did not see any correlation from sweetness and texture.
1. Which carbohydrates were sweetest? Does the number of sugar rings affect how sweet the carbohydrate tastes?
Sucrose, Fructose, and Glucose were the sweetest three carbohydrates. These three were both monosaccharides and disaccharides. I think that the simplest carbohydrates are the sweetest.
2. Are there any other observed characteristics that appear affected by the number of sugar rings?
Both polysaccharides were very bland tasting. Almost all of the disaccharides and monosaccharides were sweet-tasting.
3. Did all testers give each sample the same rating? List three reasons why the rating of the same samples could be different for different tasters.
Different people have different taste buds. Other groups might have used different rating systems. The other groups at Jason and my table all had very similar test results because we collaborated with each other.
4. Look at the structural formulas for the monosaccharides. Are the structurally similar ones alike in other characteristics? Explain.
Glucose, Fructose, and Galactose all had one atom of oxygen. There textures were all different but they all were a whitish-clear color.
Reflection
1. What did you like/find interesting?
I thought that it was interesting how all of the carbohydrate varied so much. They differed in many ways. The color, texture, and taste all were of different variety. I found it cool that just one molecule could change the entire complexion of the carbohydrate. I also liked how some carbohydrates were super sweet and then some taste very bland.
2. How did you and your partner collaborate?
Jason, my lab partner, and I worked together well. We communicated well together and completed the lab in good time. To rate the scale of sweetness, Jason and I compared each other's data and used the middle of the numbers.We stayed on task well and did the things we needed to do to get the job done.
3. What would you do differently next time?
Next time, I think that we should have used a more efficient way to rate the sweetness of the carbohydrates. The scale of sweetness got strayed because it was hard to set a definite low and definite high. I also would have liked to use more carbohydrates just to see how most carbohydrates taste and how that related to their texture and color.
I thought that it was interesting how all of the carbohydrate varied so much. They differed in many ways. The color, texture, and taste all were of different variety. I found it cool that just one molecule could change the entire complexion of the carbohydrate. I also liked how some carbohydrates were super sweet and then some taste very bland.
2. How did you and your partner collaborate?
Jason, my lab partner, and I worked together well. We communicated well together and completed the lab in good time. To rate the scale of sweetness, Jason and I compared each other's data and used the middle of the numbers.We stayed on task well and did the things we needed to do to get the job done.
3. What would you do differently next time?
Next time, I think that we should have used a more efficient way to rate the sweetness of the carbohydrates. The scale of sweetness got strayed because it was hard to set a definite low and definite high. I also would have liked to use more carbohydrates just to see how most carbohydrates taste and how that related to their texture and color.