Activity 4

Carbohydrates: Specific Reactions

I. DEFINITION
● Carbohydrates
- may contain one sugar molecule or monosaccharides, two sugar molecules or
disaccharides, or many sugar units or polysaccharides.
*EXPLANTION: Since carbohydrates are readily identified by color change
in specific reactions, we will explore some of these methods of identification
as we carry out specific tests for particular carbohydrates.*

● Seliwanoff’s Test
- A compound test which separates aldose and ketose sugars.
*EXPLANATION: When it is added to a solution containing ketones, a red
shading is framed quickly giving a positive test. At the point when added to an
element containing aldoses, a slower framing pink light is seen*

● Bial’s test
- A chemical test performed to detect the presence of pentoses and hexoses
sugars. *EXPLANTION: A pentose, if present, will be dehydrated to form
furfural which then reacts with the orcinol to generate a colored
substance. Bial’s test reagent contains concentrated Hydrochloric acid
(HCl) as a dehydrating acid, orcinol and traces of ferric chloride as
condensation reagent. Bial in the form of a colorimetric test for
identifying pentose sugars in the urine of patients with pentosuria

Iodine test

- Indicator for the presence of starch.

*EXPLANTION: Iodine test is a chemical test used to distinguish
mono- or disaccharides from certain polysaccharides like
amylase, dextrin, and glycogen.
II. Objectives
1. To observe chemical reactions of different test sugars.
2. To detect presence of carbohydrates.
*EXPLANTION: Observe the chemical reactions occured on different test
samples such as fructose, glucose, sucrose, xylose, starch, glycogen and unknown
sugar when added with reagents such as Seliwanoff’s reagent, Bial’s Orcinol
reagent, and drop iodine solution and;

3. Provide an scientific explanation for different chemical reactions.

III. DATA INTERPRETATION

A. Seliwanoff’s Test

Time Required for

Test Solutions Added Reagents Observation color changed

tt1-1% fructose +2mL Seliwanoff’s After boiled for 2 2 mins, 4 sec

reagent minutes and 4
seconds, the color
quickly change to
cherry red
 Tt2 -1% glucose +2mL Seliwanoff’s After it was boiled 15 mins, yet no
reagent for 15 minutes, no change
changes occur

Tt3 -1% sucrose +2mL Seliwanoff’s After boiled for 2 2 mins, 7 sec
reagent minutes and 7
seconds, the color
precipitate quickly
to cherry red

Tt4 - Unknown +2mL Seliwanoff’s After it was boiled 15 mins, yet no

sugar reagent for 15 minutes, no change
precipitation occur

*EXPLANTION*
We have four different test solutions: tt1 -1% fructose, tt2 -1% glucose, tt3 - 1%
sucrose and tt4 - unknown sugar, and was added with +2mL of Seliwanoff’s reagent to
determine the sugar solution whether the solution is Ketoses will yield cherry red or red
and for Aldoses will require longer time.

1. 1% fructose - it required approximately 2 minutes and 4 seconds of boiling for the

solution to be cherry red
2. For the second sugar solution of 1% glucose, it was boiled for over 15 minutes, but no
color changes occur, thus, the solution is Aldoses.
3. For the third sugar solution, it required approximately 2 minutes and 7 seconds of
boiling for the solution to be cherry red thus, it is a Ketone group.
4. and for the final sugar solution of unknown sugar, similar to the results of second
sugar solution of glucose, it did not also occur color changes for 15 minutes thus, it
contains Aldoses group.

B. Bial’s Orcinol Test

Time Required for

Test Solutions Added Reagents Observation color changed

Tt1 - 1% xylose +3mL Bial’s Took a short amount

Orcinol Reagent of time to change
 color from light blue
to midnight blue

Tt2 -1% glucose +3mL Bial’s brown

Orcinol Reagent

Tt4 - Unknown +3mL Bial’s brown

sugar Orcinol Reagent

*EXPLANTION*
Part two of our test we have the Bial’s Orcinol test. We have three different test
solutions of xylose, glucose and unknown sugar added with 3mL of Bial’s Orcinol
reagent.

1. For our first solution is a 1% of xylose, demonstrating the color of dark blue after it
was boiled thus, it is pentose sugar.
2. For the second solution, 1% of glucose, color changed to brown after it was boiled
thus, it is an hexose sugar
3. and for the final solution which is unknown sugars, the color was also changed to
brown after it was boiled down thus, it is also an hexose sugar.

*The specific time required for each solution for color change was not discussed by
the one who prepared the activity. Among the test solutions, xylose was the only
sugar to possess color blue and it took a short amount of time for it to change color to
dark blue.*

C. Iodine Test

Test Solutions Added Reagents Observation

1% starch +drop iodine solution Color change to blue

1% glycogen +drop iodine solution Color change to bronze

1% glucose +drop iodine solution Color change to bronze

1% unknown sugar +drop iodine solution Color change to bronze

*EXPLANTION*
 For our part three we have the iodine test. The purpose of this test is to distinguish
starch among the four different solutions of starch, glycogen, glucose and unknown
sugar. A bluish-black color will indicate a positive test for starch.

1. The three test solutions of glycogen, glucose and unknown sugar yield the color
change of bronze after added with iodine solution.
2. On the other hand, the starch among the rest of solutions yield a Test Solutions Added
Reagents Observation 1% starch +drop iodine solution Color change to blue 1% glycogen
+drop iodine solution Color change to bronze 1% glucose +drop iodine solution Color change
to bronze 1% unknown sugar +drop iodine solution Color change to bronze positive color
black-bluish for starch because starch is a coiled polymer of glucose and when added with
iodine interacts with the coiled molecules and becomes bluish black while the other
non-coiled solutions do not react with iodine.

IV. ANSWER TO QUESTIONS

1. Write the chemical equation involved in the reaction between concentrated nitric
acid (HNO3) and glucose?
- The concentrated nitric acid, HNO3, oxidizes both ends C of the sugar, at the
aldehyde and at the primary alcohol groups, thus forming saccharic acids.

2. Cite at least 3 other sugars which will give positive results in the music acid test?
Why will these give positive results?
- None. The solution which was already performed shows no crystals due to the
video quality.

3. What sugars form the characteristics of osazone crystals? How do the crystals
differ?
- The sugars that form the characteristics of osazone crystals are fructose,
glucose and mannose.

4. What is responsible for the intense blue color formed in the iodine test for starch?
- The responsible for the intense blue color formed during the iodine test for
starch is due to the starch as being a coiled polymer of glucose. With this,
 iodine interacts with the coiled molecules, thus becoming blue color formed
during iodine test.

5. What is the purpose of grinding with sand and TCA in preparing glycogen?
- Mostly, the glycogen is extracted from the tissues of animals and this tissue
are pretty tough and so in order to the glycogen be extract from the animal
tissue, it needs the aid of sand and Tri-Chloro Acetic Acid in order for the
tissue to be ruptured and be broken down nicely.

V. CONCLUSION

● Carbohydrates include a variety of compounds, such as sugars, starches, and

celluloses.
● It contains one sugar molecule from monosaccharides, two sugar molecules from
disaccharides, or many sugar units from polysaccharides.
*EXPLANATION: Carbohydrates are readily identified by color change when
added with reagents in specific reactions. In this lab activity, test solutions such as
fructose, glucose, sucrose, xylose, starch, glycogen and unknown sugar shall be
further catalyzed by observing their reactions on different tests such as
Seliwanoff’s, Bial’s Orcinol and Iodine Test that determines the sugar solution
whether it is Ketones or Aldoses, pentoses or hexoses sugars and coiled and
uncoiled sugars.*
● For the first part of the experiment of Seliwanoff’s test, it shows that fructose and
sucrose are an example of Ketones which both have yielded the color change of
cherry red, whereas the glucose and unknown sugar did not undergo change.
Hence they are an Aldoses sugar.
● Part two of the experiment of Bial’s Orcinol Test, the results show that xylose was
the only solution that contains pentoses due to the presence of furfural in acidic
medium which condense with orcinol that gives the solution to yield dark blue.
Furthermore, it is the only solution that took a short amount of time to undergo
the process of color change. On the other hand, the two test solution glucose and
unknown sugar is an hexose sugar because after it went on the process of boiling,
the color changed to brown.
● For the final test which is the iodine test, the three test solutions of glycogen,
glucose and unknown sugar yield the color change of bronze after added with
iodine solution. On the other hand, the starch among the rest of solutions yield a
positive color black-bluish for starch because starch is a coiled polymer of
glucose and when added with iodine interacts with the coiled molecules and
becomes bluish black while the other non-coiled solutions do not react with
 iodine. In this laboratory activity it is concluded that the activity was successful in
using tests such as Seliwanoff’s, Orcinol and Iodine test in determining specific
color-changing reactions.
● In this laboratory activity it is concluded that the activity was successful in using
tests such as Seliwanoff’s, Orcinol and Iodine test in determining specific
color-changing reactions