Experiment

Basic Chemistry for Investigating Living

Systems
Margaret Vorndam, M.S.
Version 42-0030-00-01

Lab Report Assistant

This document is not meant to be a substitute for a formal laboratory report. The Lab Report
Assistant is simply a summary of the experiments questions, diagrams if needed, and data tables
that should be addressed in a formal lab report. The intent is to facilitate students writing of lab
reports by providing this information in an editable file which can be sent to an instructor.

Observations
Data Table 1: Biuret Reagent Test for Protein
Hypothesis:
Contains Protein
Yes or No?

Final Color

(Student to fill in)

Is test substance present/
absent?

Test Tube

Contains

Water

NO

Colorless

Absent

Albumen

Yes

Dark purple

Present with less concentration

Amylase

Yes

Light
purple/lavender

Present more concentrated

Potato Starch

No

Colorless

Absent

5
6

Onion Juice
Potato Juice

NO

Dark purple

Present less concentrated

No

Dark purple

Present less concentrated

Data Table 2: Iodine Solution Test for Starch

Test Tube

Contains

1
2
3

Water
Albumen
Amylase
Potato
Starch
Onion Juice
Potato Juice

4
5
6

Hypothesis
Contains Starch
Yes or No?

Final Color

(Student to fill in)

Is test substance present/
absent?

NO

AMBER

ABSENT

NO

AMBER

ABSENT

NO

AMBER

ABSENT

YES

BLUE/BLACK

PRESENT-HIGH AMOUNT

YES

AMBER

ABSENT

YES

BLUE/BLACK

PRESENT-HIGH AMOUNT

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Experiment

Data Table 3: Benedicts Reagent Test for Sugar

Hypothesis
Contains Sugar Final Color
Test Tube Contains
Yes or No?

(Student to fill in)

Is test substance present/
absent?

BLUETRANSLUENT
RED-ORANGE

Water

NO

Glucose

YES

Albumen

NO

BLUETRANSLUCENT

ABSENT

Potato
Starch
Onion
Potato Juice

NO

BLUE-GREEN

ABSENT-POSSIBLE TRACE AMOUNT

NO

YELLOW

SMALL AMOUNTS

NO

BLUE-GREEN

ABSENT-POSSIBLE TRACE AMOUNT

4
5
6

ABSENT
PRESENT-HIGH AMOUNT

Data Table 4: Lipid Test Results

Hypothesis: Contains lipids, or
Macromolecule Being Tested
not?
NO
Potato Starch
NO
Onion Juice
Vegetable Oil
Distilled Water
Albumen
Potato Juice

Results from Test

ABSENT
ABSENT

YES

PRESENT

NO

ABSENT

NO

ABSENT

NO

ABSENT

Data Table 5: Testing the Chemical Composition of Cells

Indicate a + mark if the reagent reacts with test substance.
Indicate a - mark if the reagent does NOT react with test substance.
Test Substance
Biuret Solution Iodine Stain
Benedicts Reagent
+
Protein
(Albumen)
+
Sugar
+
Starch
Lipid

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Sudan III
+

Experiment
Exercise 1: Testing for the Presence of Proteins in
Cells
Questions
A. What is the test substance?
Protein

B. Which test tube represents the control? Why?

DISTILLED WATER TUBE 1. It is the control because it is known to have no protein. When the
Biuret Reagent is added to substances with protein it turns dark purple. Water is hydrogen and
oxygen. It is not made up of proteins, therefore it will not react.

C. Which test tube contained the most test substance?

Amylase tube 3-It is an enzyme. Enzymes are proteins

D. Other than the control, which test tube contained the least test substance?
Potato starch had the least, although it was not as clear as the control

E. Did the results agree with your initial hypothesis in every case? Why or why not?
Yes, I knew from previous studies that amylase was an enzyme (-ase=enzyme=protein) and that albumen
was also a protein. The others I knew to be carbohydrates and starches.

F. What are your conclusions about your results?

Proteins have larger amounts in certain food such as meats and eggs. Even though every cell has protein,
such as glycoproteins in the cell wall, or ribosomes in the cell make proteins. The Biurets did not pick up
on small amounts.

G. If the color change is not as you expected, what might be the reasons?
Cross-contaminated or operator error.

H. Add another 5 drops of Biuret Reagent to each test tube and stir as before. Do your results
change?
There was no change when 5 more drops were added.

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Experiment
Discussion
A. What is the purpose of this exercise?
To use colorimerty to test for proteins on substances. Biuret reacts with the peptide bond of protiens and turns violet.

B. Why is it important to clean droppers and equipment between chemical uses?

To avoid cross contamination of the substances and get false results.

C. What other types of foods or substances contain high levels of protein?

Nuts, Meats, Eggs, Skin, Hair, Fingernails, Muscles

D. Suggest a situation where you might use the Biuret Reagent colorimetric test.
Urine to detect protein. This could denote a UTI, or other kidney disease.

E. What other types of analytical procedures detect the presence of proteins?

Bradford protein assay, Ninhydrin Test-amino acids and proteins. There are also many medical tests, such
as blood and urinalysis to test for proteins. Also could use heavy metal Ion test.

Exercise 2: Testing for the Presence of Starch in Cells

Questions
A. What is the test substance?
Starch

B. Which test tube represents the control? Why?

Tube 1 Distilled water. No Starch. Only hydrogen and oxygen

C. Which test tube contained the most test substance?

Potato Starch

D. Other than the control, which test tube contained the least test substance?
Albumin and Amylase. They are proteins.

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Experiment
E. Did the results agree with your initial hypothesis in each case, why or why not?
Yes, Potato are starchy food. Onion is a vegetable, I was not sure if it would or not. I thought it might
have some. Already knoew that albumen and amylase were proteins.

F. What are your conclusions about the results?

Carbohydrates are not present in Natural occurring substance. Usually processed like pasta.

G. If the color change is not as you expected it to be, what might be the reasons?
Cross Contamination of products

Discussion
A. What is the purpose of this exercise?
Use colorimetry and iodine to test for starch

B. What other types of foods or substances contain high levels of starch?

Cereals, grains, pasta, vegetables

C. Suggest a situation where you might use the iodine colorimetric test.
Any test of gastric or intestinal contents to test for sugar/starch absorption

D. What other types of analytical procedures detect the presence of starch?

Chromatographic an electrophoretic methods, Starch Assay, titration method, Gravimetric

Exercise 3: Testing for the Presence of Sugar in Cells

Questions
A. What is the test substance?
sugar

B. Which test tube represents the control? Why?

Distilled water. It only contain hydrogen and oxygen. NO other chemical compounds

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Experiment
C. Which test tube contained the most test substance?
Glucose

D. Besides the control, which test tube contained the least test substance?
Albumen it is a protein

E. Did the results agree with your initial hypothesis in every case? Why or why not?
Yes, We already know that potato is a starch, which is multiple sugars together. As a nurse I know that
glucose is a simple sugar. Water is the control, Albumen in a protein, and potatoes are starch. They could
have had some broken down into glucose which could have made trace amounts. Sugars and starches are
both carbs.

F. What are you conclusions about the results?

Glucose is a simple reducing sugar that will react with the Benedicts reagent.

G. If the color change is not as expected, what might be the reasons?

Cross-Contamination

Discussion
A. What is the purpose of this exercise?
To detect reducing sugars by using benedicts reagent.

B. Suggest a scenario where you might use the Benedicts reagent colorimetric test.
Checking blood glucose in diabetics.

C. How might one determine whether the potato or onion contains more sugar?
The potato was a blue-green color meaning in has low concentration of reducing sugars. The onion was
yellow/orange which means it has a higher concentration of reducing sugars. I researched and found that
onion contains fructose.

D. What other types of foods or substances contain high levels of sugar?

Fruits, Candy, Milk, Honey, Beets

E. What other types of analytical procedures detect the presence of sugars?

Chromatographic an electrophoretic methods, Sugar reducing substances stool test, titration method, Gravimetric.

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Experiment
Exercise 4: Testing for the Presence of Lipids in Cells
Questions
A. What is the test substance?
Lipids

B. Which test tube represents the control?

Distilled water

C. Which test tube contained the most test substance?

Vegetable Oil

D. Other than the control, which test tube contained the least test substance?
Onion and Potato Juice

E. Did the results agree with your initial hypothesis in every case? Explain why or not.
Yes, I knew lipids are fats, and that oil was made of fats. From previous experiments, I knew the others
were not lipids

F. If the color change is not as you expected it to be, what might be the reason(s)?
The substance was contaminated, or I made a mistake

Discussion
A. What is the purpose of this exercise?
To test for lipids in certain materials

B. Explain the molecular basis as to why Sudan III can be used to detect the presence of lipids,
but not sugar or proteins. Why can Biuret, Benedict's, and Iodine Reagents detect the presence
of proteins, starches, and sugars, but not lipids?
Lipids are not water soluble, and therefore cannot be broken down using other methods. Sudan III is fat
soluable, and can break through the membrane.

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Experiment
C. What other types of foods or substances contain high levels of lipids?
Ear wax, Nuts, Cooking Oils, Crisco, Adipose Tissue anything made by sebaceous glands

D. What other types of analytical procedures detect the presence of lipids?

Babcock, detergent and gerber methods

E. Fill in the summary Table 5 in the Lab Report Assistant section by noting which complexing
reagents (dyes) can be used to determine which cellular components. Use + to indicate that the
dye will detect the component, and to indicate that it will not detect the component.

Laboratory Summary
What have you learned from doing this laboratory?
Learned how to preform simple colorimetric testing on different food groups to
determine which macromolecule it belongs to. Protein, Carbs, or Lipid.

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