Testing for Carbohydrates Lab

Names of group members: ____________________________________________________________________________________

​
In this lab, you will be investigating the ​types of carbohydrates found in 5 known samples of food
and drink you may ingest in your diet, along with 2 control samples. You will have 2 tests that you
will perform on these samples to determine the type of carbohydrate they contain. The two
control samples will be there for you to see the positive change for each of the two tests. The 5
unknown ​types​ of carbohydrates you will be testing are: honey, oatmeal, table sugar, apple juice,
and powdered sugar.

Testing Solutions​:

Iodine Solution
When Iodine solution is added to a mixture, a change from the solution’s original color to a deep
blue-black occurs if a ​polysaccharide​ is present. The original color of the carbohydrate solution
mixed with Iodine remains if a​ ​disaccharide or ​monosaccharide
​ is present.

Benedict’s Solution
When Benedict’s solution is added to a carbohydrate solution and heated, a change from the original
blue color (of the Benedict’s) to green, yellow, orange or red occurs if a ​monosaccharide​ is present.
The original blue color will remain after heating if​ a ​polysaccharide​ or a ​disaccharide is present.

​
Question 1​. What ​type of carbohydrate will the Iodine test turn blue-black for?

____________________________________

​
Question 2.​ What ​type of carbohydrate will the Benedict’s test turn from blue to green, yellow,

orange/red for? ________________________________________

Guiding question for this lab​: How will you determine the disaccharide amongst the samples?

Problem​: Write your problem below based on the introduction you just read. This will be moved to
your lab report later. Include what you learned and what question you will be investigating.

Hypothesis​: ​Your hypothesis should be your test to determine the guiding question for this lab (see
above). What will you do and what will you measure? (If _____, then____)
Materials:

7 test tubes numbered 1-7

test tube clamp-when removing HOT test tubes, you will need to use these!
7 solutions
(you will need to write all of these in your lab notebook)
Benedict’s solution
Iodine solution
Eye droppers (10 of them)
Hot plate
Beaker with water
Goggles

Procedures​-there are 2 sets of procedures for this lab as there are ​two tests​ you are running:

Test with Benedict’s solution​:

1. Put on a pair of goggles.

2. Obtain a test tube rack with 7 test tubes numbered 1-7

3. Using ​Figure A​. below as your guide and a dropper for each tube, add the following:

Tube 1 -- 1 pipette of Mono Control

Tube 2 -- 1 pipette of Poly Control
Tube 3 -- 1 pipette of Honey
Tube 4 -- 1 pipette of Oatmeal
Tube 5 -- 1 pipette of Table Sugar
Tube 6 -- 1 pipette of Apple Juice
Tube 7 -- 1 pipette of Powdered Sugar

4. Document in your data table 1 the color of each solution before the test is done.

5. Add 5 drops of Benedict’s solution to each test tube.

6. Place all 8 test tubes in a hot water bath for 3 minutes.

7. Remove the test tube from the hot water bath with a test tube holder and note any color changes.
Record the color of the solutions in Table 1.

8. Rinse out all test tubes in one of the back sinks. Return them to the test tube rack.

9. Refer to your lab to classify the carbohydrates in Table 1 if they reacted to the Benedict’s solution.

Question 3.​ Which of the 7 solutions contained a monosaccharide? ___________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Test with Iodine Solution:

1. Put on a pair of goggles.

2. Obtain a test tube rack with 7 test tubes numbered 1-7
3. Using ​Figure A​. below as your guide and a dropper for each tube, add the following:

Tube 1 -- 1 pipette of Mono Control

Tube 2 -- 1 pipette of Poly Control
Tube 3 -- 1 pipette of Honey
Tube 4 -- 1 pipette of Oatmeal
Tube 5 -- 1 pipette of Table Sugar
Tube 6 -- 1 pipette of Apple Juice
Tube 7 -- 1 pipette of Powdered Sugar

4. Add 5 drops of Iodine solution to each test tube and mix by gently swirling. BEWARE: Iodine
stains clothes and skin, so don’t get this on you or your lab partner.

5. Note any color changes and record them in Table 1.

6. Rinse out test tubes in one of the back sinks. Return to test tube rack.

Question 4​: Which of the 7 solutions contained a polysaccharide? _____________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Results​: This is your data table that will need to go into your lab results section.

Table 1.
Carbohydrate Original Color of Color when Color after Type of Carbohydrate
Name Mixture before Iodine added Benedict’s test
Test
Honey

Oatmeal

Table Sugar

Apple Juice

Powdered
Sugar
Polysaccharide
Control

Monosaccharide
Control

Conclusion​:​ For your conclusion, I want you to state whether your hypothesis was supported or
rejected. I also want you to include data when referring to your hypothesis. You should also
mention 4 sources of possible errors that could occur during this lab. Lastly, you should put the
answers to any ​questions​ in the lab in sentence form (not just the answer, but a full sentence!).

For example: Question 1. The Iodine Test tests for …. (whatever your answer was)

Please type of your lab report in Google Docs. Follow the same format as before. This lab
will be grading using the same rubric as before.