Lab Report Assignment

Khant, K. Nyein

SBI4U

Guarantee International College

Dr. Soe, M. Yee

Unit 2 lab report

10th February 2025

• Benedict’s test or Reducing sugar test

• Lab partners- Kaung Nyein Khant, Aung Aye Chan, May Myat Noe
Introduction
The lab report will be regarding the testing of reducing sugar in a number of solutions. Reducing

sugars are monosaccharides found in fruits and plants that includes glucose, fructose, and

galactose. The test will be carried out by benedict’s solution. The solution is a chemical reagent

in the colour blue. The reagent is used for testing the presence of reducing sugars by being

heated. The benedict’s solution is a mixture of sodium carbonate, sodium citrate and copper

sulfate pentahydrate. The positive result of the test would show several steps of colour changes

then brick red as a final colour.

Problem or purpose

In this experiment, the primary objective is to determine the effect of different solutions on the

presence of starch using Benedict’s solution. Benedict’s test is a chemical reaction that helps

identify the presence of reducing sugars by causing a color change in the presence of such

substances. By using a variety of solutions, including distilled water, glucose solution, starch

solution, and baking soda solution, the experiment aims to observe how these different

substances react under the same controlled conditions.

Hypothesis
A hypothesis is formed to predict the outcome of the experiment. If different solutions are tested

with Benedict’s solution, then the glucose solution is expected to change to brick red because
Benedict’s test is specifically designed to detect reducing sugars such as glucose. This change

will indicate the presence of reducing sugars, confirming the function of Benedict’s solution in

this experiment.

Variables

Independent Variables:

1. Distilled water

2. Glucose solution

3. Starch solution

4. Baking soda solution

Controlled Variables:

1. Concentration of solutions

2. Temperature of the water bath (100°C)

3. Time (the timer is started when the solutions are in the water bath, and the time will be

monitored until a color change occurs)

4. Volume of solutions

Dependent variable

- the colour change observed from a test tube

independent, dependent, and controlled categories. The independent variables in this experiment

are the different solutions being tested: distilled water, glucose solution, starch solution, and

baking soda solution. Each of these solutions is used in a fixed volume of 3 mL to maintain

consistency. The dependent variable is the color change observed after adding Benedict’s

solution and subjecting the mixture to heat. The controlled variables include several key factors

that must remain constant to ensure a fair test. These include the concentration of solutions,

which is kept the same across all test tubes; the volume of Benedict’s solution, which is fixed at

5 mL per test; the use of a water bath, which ensures uniform heating for all samples; the

temperature of the water bath, maintained at 100°C; and the time measurement method, which

involves starting a timer and recording the moment when the first solution undergoes a color

change to brick red.

Materials and apparatus

•4 Test tubes (for holding each solution)

•20ml of Benedict's solution

•Water bath set to 100°C

•Timer (to measure the time until a color change occurs)

•Pipettes (to measure out the solutions)

•Thermometer (to check the water bath temperature)

•Heatproof gloves (for safety when handling the test tubes and water bath)

The materials and apparatus used in this experiment include various substances and laboratory

equipment. The materials consist of distilled water, glucose solution, starch solution, and baking
soda solution, each measured at 3 mL. Benedict’s solution, used as the chemical indicator, is

applied at a volume of 5 mL per test. The apparatus includes four test tubes to hold the solutions,

a test tube rack for stability, a water bath for consistent heating, a beaker to contain the water

bath, and a Bunsen burner or heating element to maintain the water at a constant temperature of

100°C. A timer or stopwatch is used to accurately measure the reaction time, and a pipette

ensures precise measurement and transfer of liquids.

Procedure and precautions

corresponding solution (distilled water, glucose solution, starch solution, and baking soda

solution) to keep track of which solution is being tested.

• Prepare the solutions: Using a pipette, carefully add 3 mL of the assigned solution to each

test tube. Ensure that the volumes are precise for accurate results.

• Add Benedict’s solution: After the test tubes are filled with the respective solutions, use a

pipette to add 5 mL of Benedict’s solution to each test tube. This solution will react with the

reducing sugars present in the samples.

• Preheat the water bath: Before starting the experiment, preheat the water bath to 100°C to

ensure a consistent temperature for all reactions.

• Submerge the test tubes: Once the water bath has reached the required temperature, carefully

place the test tubes into the water bath. Ensure they are fully submerged, allowing the heat to

reach the solutions.

begin tracking the reaction time. The timer will help measure how long it takes for each solution

to undergo a color change.

• Monitor for color change: Observe the test tubes closely for any change in color. The

presence of reducing sugars will cause a color change from the original blue to green, yellow,

orange, or brick red, with brick red indicating a high concentration of reducing sugars.

• Record the time: Once the first solution undergoes a color change to brick red, immediately

stop the timer and record the time taken for this reaction to occur. Repeat this observation for all

the test tubes.

• Ensure consistency: Throughout the experiment, ensure that all test tubes are treated under

identical conditions (same volume of solutions, same temperature, and same timer for each test

tube) to maintain fairness and validity.

• Analyze and document the results: After all reactions have been observed, document the

time taken for each solution to change color. Analyze the results to determine the presence of

reducing sugars in each solution, and compare the reaction times to draw conclusions.

Given that the experiment involves the use of heat and chemicals, safety precautions are

necessary to ensure a safe working environment. Handling hot water carefully is essential to

prevent burns, and clamps or a test tube holder should be used when dealing with hot test tubes.

Safety goggles must be worn to protect the eyes from potential splashes. Proper disposal

methods must be followed to eliminate chemical waste responsibly after the experiment is

completed.
By following these methods and precautions, the experiment is expected to yield clear and

reliable results, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the reaction between Benedict’s

solution and different types of solutions. The conclusions drawn from this experiment will

provide valuable insights into the properties of reducing sugars and their detection through

Benedict’s test.

Observations

Solutions Results (+/-) Colour changes Time taken

Glucose solution + Brick red 3 minutes

Baking soda solution - Blue 3 minutes

Distilled water - Blue 3 minutes

Starch solution - Blue 3 minutes

Chart Title
7

0
0 minute 1 minute 2 minutes 3 minutes

glucose starch baking soda distilled water

1- Blue, 2- green, 3- yellow, 4-orange, 5- pink, 6- red

In this experiment, Benedict’s test was conducted to determine the presence of reducing sugars

in various solutions. The results revealed that the glucose solution showed the quickest color

change, turning brick red after [180] seconds, indicating a high concentration of reducing sugars.

On the other hand, the starch solution showed no color change, remaining blue throughout the

experiment, suggesting that starch does not contain reducing sugars. The distilled water and

baking soda solution both showed minimal changes, with slight color shifts to green or yellow,

indicating the presence of trace amounts of reducing sugars. This aligns with the hypothesis that

glucose, being a simple sugar, would show the most intense reaction, while more complex

substances like starch would not react strongly.

In analyzing the chart, we can observe a clear trend where the glucose solution consistently took

the least time to change color, and the starch solution remained unchanged. This indicates that

reducing sugars, particularly monosaccharides like glucose, are more readily reactive with

Benedict's solution, whereas polysaccharides like starch do not undergo the same reaction under

the conditions of this experiment. The time taken for color change correlates directly with the

concentration of reducing sugars in the solution. Thus, the hypothesis that glucose would show

the most significant reaction is supported, and the hypothesis about starch not reacting is

confirmed.

Conclusion

The purpose of this experiment was to test the presence of reducing sugars in various solutions

using Benedict’s test. The results show that the glucose solution had the highest concentration of
reducing sugars, as it showed a rapid and intense color change to brick red. The starch solution,

however, did not change color, confirming that starch does not contain reducing sugars under the

test conditions. The hypothesis that glucose would react strongly was correct, while the

hypothesis regarding starch was also supported.

The overall outcome demonstrates that Benedict’s test is effective for detecting reducing sugars

and can differentiate between simple sugars like glucose and complex carbohydrates like starch.

The experiment highlights the importance of the molecular structure in determining how

substances react with Benedict’s reagent.

Evaluation/Sources of Error

1. Temperature fluctuations: One potential source of error could be the fluctuation in the

temperature of the water bath during the experiment. Although the water bath was set to

100°C, if the temperature varied, it could have affected the rate at which the reactions

occurred. This might explain any inconsistencies in the time recorded for the color

changes.

2. Inaccurate solution measurements: If the solutions were not measured accurately, it

could lead to an uneven concentration of the test solutions, affecting the results. For

example, if the glucose solution was over or under-concentrated, it might have altered the

time for the color change or the intensity of the color.

3. Benedict’s solution contamination: Any contamination of the Benedict’s solution,

either before or during use, could have influenced the results. For instance, if the solution

was exposed to air or stored improperly, its effectiveness in reacting with the reducing

sugars could have been compromised.

precise control over the water bath temperature, perhaps using a thermometer to continuously

monitor the temperature. Additionally, more accurate pipettes or syringes could be used to

ensure precise measurements of the solutions.

Questions for Further Investigation: One logical next step could be to investigate how

different temperatures affect the rate of the Benedict’s test reaction. Does increasing the

temperature accelerate the reaction time significantly? This would provide more insight into the

relationship between temperature and reaction rate in Benedict’s test.