Identifying the Problem
Reducing sugars' presence in a solution is tested using Benedict’s reagent. The reagent also indicates absence of the reducing sugars. Sodium bicarbonate, copper sulphate, and sodium citrate are the key components of Benedict’s solution. As composed by Kumar & Gill (2018), presence of cupric makes Benedict’s reagent blue in color. Presence of reducing sugars in a solution results in the change in color of Benedict’s solution.
Literature Review
Reducing sugars possess free aldehydes. The reducing sugars might also have a ketone functional group. Reducing sugars can add hydrogen or eliminate oxygen in oxidizing agents. Copper compound components of Benedict’s solution is an excellent example of an oxidizing agent. Other sugars such disaccharides lack the reducing characteristic, and therefore they are non-reducing sugars. Examples of reducing sugars include monosaccharides and some disaccharides.
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Prediction of Outcomes
The original color of Benedict’s solution is blue. As authored by Walker et al. (2017), w hen a solution of benedict’s reagent containing reducing sugar is heated, it causes formation of a precipitate that is colored. The absence of reducing sugars will not result in change in color of the solution. The amount of reducing sugars found in a solution dictates the final color of the precipitate. Green precipitate forms when the amount of reducing sugars is minimal, low amount produce a yellow precipitate, yellowish-orange if the reducing sugars are in moderate amount, and orange precipitate forms when there are high amounts of reducing sugars. A precipitate which is brick-red forms in the presence of very high amounts of reducing sugars.
Procedure
Put approximately 250 mL of tap water into a 500 mL beaker and then place the beaker of a hot plate. Heat the water. Set the temperature to medium when the water starts to boil.
Get 10 clean test tubes and label them 1 through 10.
In test tube 1 put small amount of Distilled water, test tube 2 put Diet Soda, test tube 3 Non-diet soda, test tube 4 put Pineapple juice, test tube 5 put Onion juice, test tube 6 put Potato juice, test tube 7 put Milk, test tube 8 put Glucose solution, test tube 9 Sucrose solution and in test tube 10 Corn syrup.
Analysis and Data Collection
| Test Tube | Solution | Colour | Conclusion |
| 1 | Distilled water | Clear blue | No sugar |
| 2 | Diet soda | Clear blue | No sugar |
| 3 | Non-diet soda | Dark Orange | Moderate |
| 4 | Pineapple juice | Light orange | Moderate |
| 5 | Onion juice | Light orange | Moderate |
| 6 | Potato juice | Cloudy green | Traces of reducing sugars |
| 7 | Milk | Yellow blue | Traces of reducing sugars |
| 8 | Glucose solution | Cloudy red | High amount of reducing sugars |
| 9 | Sucrose solution | Clean blue | No sugar |
| 10 | Corn syrup | Dark orange | Moderate |
Conclusion
The final color of the precipitate confirms if reducing sugars are present and also their concentration. Diet soda, sucrose solution, and distilled lack reducing sugars. Corn syrup, non-dies soda, pineapple juice, and onion juice have reducing sugars in moderate amounts. Milk and potato juice has traces of reducing sugars. Glucose solution has very high amounts of reducing sugars.
Confirmation of hypothesis
The results confirm the hypothesis. I accept and support the hypothesis. The color of the solution changes when reducing sugars are present. The amount of reducing sugars in the solution dictates the final color. Low, moderate and high amounts of reducing sugars result in information of different colors.
References
Walker, R., Sun, Y., Davis, M. G., Washington, R. P., Beglinger, K. M., & Davis, S. L. (2017). U.S. Patent No. 9,748,085 . Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Kumar, V., & Gill, K. D. (2018). To Perform Qualitative Test for Reducing Substances in Urine. In Basic Concepts in Clinical Biochemistry: A Practical Guide (pp. 49-52). Springer, Singapore.
