Macromolecules 2 Lab

Benedicts Reducing Sugars Test

Well/Test Tube

Substance

Observation

Reducing Sugar
Present?

Onion

++

yes

Potato

+-

yes

Water

no

Well/Test Tube

Substance

Observation

Starch Present?

Onion

no

Potato

++

yes

Corn Starch

++

yes

Water

no

Well/Test Tube

Substance

Observation

Fat Present?

Water

no

Corn Starch

yes

Coconut

++

yes

Margarine

++

yes

Flour

+-

yes

Starch Iodine Test

Sudan III Fats Test

Paper Bag Fats Test

Well/Test tube

Substance

Observation

Fat Present?

Water

no

Corn Starch

no

Coconut

yes

Margarine

++

yes

Flour

no

Well/Test tube

Substance

Observation

Protein Present?

Egg White

+-

yes

Chicken Soup

++

yes

Water

no

Biuret Protein Test

Unknown Test- Expected Results (Hypotheses)

Unknowns

-->
Reducing
Sugar

++

++

Starch

++

+/+-

++

+/+-

Fat

++

++

++

Protein

++

+-

++

Unknown Test Results

Test

Test Result (++, +, -)

Possible Foods

Reducing Sugar

honey

Starch

none

Fat

++

vegetable oil

Protein

++

gelatin

Questions: (Type in questions and answer below)

1. Why did we do this lab?
We did this lab to learn how to identify different macromolecules in foods and to learn
why different indicator tests work to identify the molecules they do.
2. Why did each test work to identify the macromolecule it did?
The Benedicts test works to identify glucose because it oxidizes the sugar by adding an
oxygen on to it. The reaction will only work if the sugar has a aldehyde group because
the reaction works with a reducing agent that takes an oxygen from Benedicts, therefore
reducing it.
The Iodine test works because glucose polymers where chains are specifically coiled
react with iodine molecules, so it is the structure of the starch that reacts.
The Sudan III test works because hydrocarbon groups in the fatty acid tails of fats and
the dye are both nonpolar so they match up when they are in a polar surrounding.
The paper bag test works fats are sucked from the substance and create hydrophobic
interactions with the cellulose in the paper bag.
The Biuret test works because the amino groups on proteins react with the detector, and
theres an interaction between copper cations and N-H in the bonds between peptides.

3.

Onion has more reducing sugar and potato has more starch.

4. The corn starch, coconut, margarine and flour tested positive for fats by the
sudan III test and coconut and margarine tested positive for fats in the paper bag test.
The margarine and coconut had the highest fat contents.
5. There was a difference between the two fat tests because the paper bag test
was easier to tell if there were fats present and the ways in which they detect fats are
different and identified by reactions between different groups in substances.
6.
Chicken soup and gelatin had the most protein out of the substances tested.
7.
The unknown substance was sample E because it tested positive for
reducing sugar, negative for starch, and highly positive for fat and protein and in sample
E, there is no starch, honey which is a reducing sugar, vegetable oil which is a fat and
gelatin which has lots of proteins. The strength of the tests also matched those of
sample E. The salt in them mixture had no impact on the tests since it contains none of
the macromolecules being tested for.