Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Sample
1% Vit C solution
Tropicana Orange
2.8
3.3
2.6
3.1 2.9
3.2
2.4 3.3
2.95
3.5
4.7
3.7
2.2 3.9
4.8
3.5 4.6
3.86
Tropicana Apple
2.6
3.8
2.8
3.3 3.0
3.4
3.0 3.8
3.21
4.0
5.9
4.9
5.2 5.2
5.0
6.1 4.8
5.14
Tropicana Grapefruit
The vitamin C concentration for each juice can be calculated by relating the volume needed to decolourise
the DCPIP to the volume needed of the vitamin C of known concentration.
For example, for the known 1% [1mg cm-3] Vitamin C solution:
0.51cm3 of 1% Vitamin C solution is needed to decolourise 1cm3 DCPIP.
So for the Tropicana Orange Juice:
Mean volume needed to decolourise DCPIP = 2.95 cm3
Therefore, 1mg/cm-3 x 0.51 cm3 2.95 cm3 = 0.17mg/cm3 x 100 = 17mg/100cm3 of Vitamin C in the
Tropicana Orange Juice
On the cartons the Vitamin C value stated is per 100mg/cm, therefore the calculation must include *100 in
order to state 100mg/cm rather than 1mg/cm of Vitamin C.
Tropicana Orange
Tropicana Orange & Lime
29
13
0.86
Tropicana Apple
41
16
0.44
25
10.0
0.65
Tropicana Grapefruit
Stated value
20
mean
15
10
5
0
1
As you can see from the graph, the concentration of vitamin C in each fruit juice tested about half of what
was stated on the cartons. This is primarily because the juice was not fresh, and appears that half of the
Vitamin C had been oxidised since the opening of the cartons (we experimented after 5 days of the cartons
being opened).
Interpretation
It seems that the supermarket has been conservative in the levels of vitamin C stated on the packaging for
each of the juices tested. This may be so that even when the juice varies, it will still contain at least as much
vitamin C as stated.
Evaluation
According to the standard deviation, the results contain no anomalies as the standard deviation is small
(below 1), meaning results are closer to the mean, therefore more reliable. Further reliability is presented as
there were 8 experiments on each juice, rather than 3. However, the accuracy was not able to be measured
properly as the experiment was carried out only once per juice per group, as there wasnt enough time to
repeat the experiment with the same juice per group. When we put all results together, this could have
affected the overall outcome of the results, as the results were all from different people for each repeat of
the juice experiment. Due to all results being fairly similar per juice, though, it doesnt seem to have had as
much as an impact as expected, even though everyone tried to be as precise as possible for this overall
experiment.
The burette drops were of different sizes, and the drops were rapid, so the test tube was in continuous
movement, and when the end point was noticed, a few more drops had been able to get into the solution
before the burette was shut. This could have made the volume of juice taken to decolourize the DCPIP a little
bit more than what it would actually take to decolourize it. Another precision error that could have taken
place is when measuring the initial and final volume of the juice as the meniscus wasnt always too clear as it
was taller than my height. This may have led me to slightly overestimate or underestimate the volume of
juice used (by 0.1-0.2cm3)The data wasnt as precise as the juice cartons werent opened on the same day as
the experiment, therefore some of the vitamin C (in our case about half) could of oxidised, meaning not all
Vitamin C could have been detected.
The errors I have identified were all random errors, as no instrument was improperly used or had any issue
with it. The random errors were there because errors took place through unpredictable stages.
If we were able to control when the cartons were opened, I think we could have a closer result to how much
vitamin C was stated on the carton, as barely any of the Vitamin C would have oxidised. But as mentioned
earlier, since the carton was opened 5 days before the experiment, it appears that around half of the
Vitamin C expected was tested and found during the experiment.