Purpose
What are the differences in the structures 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
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 to find labeled pictures of each carbohydrate. Then post them on your website.
Part II: Comparing the Characteristics of Carbohydrates
1) Label a parer towel with the eight different carbs.
2) Scoop a small amount of each carb onto the paper towel.
3) Using your finger taste a small amount of each of the carbohydrates.
4) By tasting it, evaluate the sweetness of each. Assign a sweetness scale to evaluate each one.
5) Create a data table and record the information.
6)Analyze the data.
1) Go online to find labeled pictures of each carbohydrate. Then post them on your website.
Part II: Comparing the Characteristics of Carbohydrates
1) Label a parer towel with the eight different carbs.
2) Scoop a small amount of each carb onto the paper towel.
3) Using your finger taste a small amount of each of the carbohydrates.
4) By tasting it, evaluate the sweetness of each. Assign a sweetness scale to evaluate each one.
5) Create a data table and record the information.
6)Analyze the data.
Data results
Part I: Gathering Structural Information.
I went to google images to find each molecule. I then posted them on my website.
I went to google images to find each molecule. I then posted them on my website.
Part II: Comparing the Characteristics of Carbohydrates
After testing each carbohydrate for sweetness, Jack, my partner, and I created a chart. We also made a scale for the sweetness.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Nothing Sweet Really Sweet
Carbohydrate tested Type of Carb Degree of Sweetness(1-10) Color Texture Function Sucrose disaccharide 8 white sandy energy transport
Maltose disaccharide 7 white powdery energy
Galactose monosaccharide 4 white powdery energy
Starch polysaccharide 1 white floury fuel for energy
Cellulose polysaccharide 0 white floury energy
Fructose monosaccharide 10 white sandy energy
Glucose monosaccharide 8 white powdery energy
Lactose disaccharide 3 white powdery energy
After testing each carbohydrate for sweetness, Jack, my partner, and I created a chart. We also made a scale for the sweetness.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Nothing Sweet Really Sweet
Carbohydrate tested Type of Carb Degree of Sweetness(1-10) Color Texture Function Sucrose disaccharide 8 white sandy energy transport
Maltose disaccharide 7 white powdery energy
Galactose monosaccharide 4 white powdery energy
Starch polysaccharide 1 white floury fuel for energy
Cellulose polysaccharide 0 white floury energy
Fructose monosaccharide 10 white sandy energy
Glucose monosaccharide 8 white powdery energy
Lactose disaccharide 3 white powdery 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 are three different carbohydrate structures. There were monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. They are able to be distinguished by the number of bases a carbohydrate has. A monosaccharide is the simplest of the group because it has only one base. A disaccharide has two bases. A polysaccharide is the most complex carbohydrate. A polysaccharide is a carbohydrate that has more than two bases. Jack and I noticed that texture had nothing to do with the sweetness. We noticed that the more simple the carbohydrates got the sweeter they are.
1) Which carbohydrates were sweetest? Does the number of sugar rings affect how sweet the carbohydrate tastes?
Sucrose, Fructose, and Glucose were the three sweetest carbohydrates. These three were both monosaccharides and disaccharides. From the tasting I did I would conclude 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 and cellulose had no taste at all. 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.
There are many reasons why someone might have different ratings for the same carbohydrates. One is that people have different taste buds. Another is that maybe other groups might have used different rating systems. The groups that surrounded Jack and me had similar results because we collaborated with each other during the lab.
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. They were the same color and all of them tasted sweet. All three of them also gave you energy.
There are three different carbohydrate structures. There were monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. They are able to be distinguished by the number of bases a carbohydrate has. A monosaccharide is the simplest of the group because it has only one base. A disaccharide has two bases. A polysaccharide is the most complex carbohydrate. A polysaccharide is a carbohydrate that has more than two bases. Jack and I noticed that texture had nothing to do with the sweetness. We noticed that the more simple the carbohydrates got the sweeter they are.
1) Which carbohydrates were sweetest? Does the number of sugar rings affect how sweet the carbohydrate tastes?
Sucrose, Fructose, and Glucose were the three sweetest carbohydrates. These three were both monosaccharides and disaccharides. From the tasting I did I would conclude 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 and cellulose had no taste at all. 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.
There are many reasons why someone might have different ratings for the same carbohydrates. One is that people have different taste buds. Another is that maybe other groups might have used different rating systems. The groups that surrounded Jack and me had similar results because we collaborated with each other during the lab.
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. They were the same color and all of them tasted sweet. All three of them also gave you energy.
reflection
5) What did you like/find interesting?
I liked that all the carbohydrates were different. I found it very interesting that for some of the carbohydrates you were able to tell what it was. My most favorite carb was by far the fructose, and my leaf favorite was the cellulose. Another thing I also found interesting was that the simpler carbs were sweetener while the more complex carbs are bland tasting.
6) How did you and your partner collaborate?
For this Lab my partner was Jack. We did really well in communicating our ideas to one another. After we established our sweetness scale we each tasted all of the different carbs and evaluated them ourselves and then after we finished, we compared our numbers and if they were different we tasted that carb again to really come to an understanding. Overall, we worked well and got the lab done in a timely manner.
7) What would you do differently next time?
If we were to do this lab again I would spend more time on what atoms were in each molecule and what it did to change the sweetness, texture, or color. I would also use a bigger scale for the carbohydrates, most likely 0 - 20.
I liked that all the carbohydrates were different. I found it very interesting that for some of the carbohydrates you were able to tell what it was. My most favorite carb was by far the fructose, and my leaf favorite was the cellulose. Another thing I also found interesting was that the simpler carbs were sweetener while the more complex carbs are bland tasting.
6) How did you and your partner collaborate?
For this Lab my partner was Jack. We did really well in communicating our ideas to one another. After we established our sweetness scale we each tasted all of the different carbs and evaluated them ourselves and then after we finished, we compared our numbers and if they were different we tasted that carb again to really come to an understanding. Overall, we worked well and got the lab done in a timely manner.
7) What would you do differently next time?
If we were to do this lab again I would spend more time on what atoms were in each molecule and what it did to change the sweetness, texture, or color. I would also use a bigger scale for the carbohydrates, most likely 0 - 20.