Lab 3 Biological Molecules
Lab 3 Biological Molecules
Preparation
1. Read the entire exercise before lab and mark anything you will need to ask about. This will
prepare you to work more efficiently in lab because you might not then have to read
through all of the background information while you could be doing the activities. We will
be able to tell who is prepared and who did not read their lab material thoroughly.
Objectives
1. Know the names of the basic tests for carbohydrates and proteins.
2. Be able to accurately interpret the results of the tests for biological molecules
3. Use your knowledge of the basic tests for carbohydrates and proteins to determine
what is in an unknown solution.
Procedure:
1. Half fill the beaker with water and heat to a gentle boil.
2. Using a Sharpie, number the test tubes 1-8.
3. Add 1 ml (10 drops) of the correct test solution to each tube, as indicated in the table.
4. Add 2 ml (20 drops) of Benedict’s solution to each of the 8 test tubes.
5. Place the test tubes in a boiling water bath for approximately 3 minutes.
6. Allow the tubes to cool to room temperature and record your results below:
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Tube Test Color/appearance Color Resulting Conclusion
# Solution before adding right after Color (Does the substance
Benedict’s adding after in the test tube
Benedict’s heating contain a reducing
sugar?)
1 Water
2 Glucose
3 Sucrose
4 Fructose
5 Lactose
6 Starch
solution
7 Egg
Albumin
8 Unknown____
General conclusions: Compare the Benedict’s test results obtained on the different solutions.
Procedure:
1. Obtain 4 clean test tubes and number them 1-5.
2. Add 1 mL (10 drops) of the correct test solution to each tube as indicated in the table below.
3. Add just 1 or 2 drops of Iodine Solution to each of the 5 tubes. Mix by gently shaking the
tube.
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*DO NOT HEAT tubes containing Iodine solution.
4. Record any color change for each tube in the table below.
1 Egg albumin
2 Starch
3 Glucose
4 Water
5 Unknown___
General conclusions: Compare the Iodine test results obtained on the different solutions.
Procedure:
1. Obtain 4 clean test tubes and number them 1-5.
2. Add 1 mL (10 drops) of the correct test solution to each tube as indicated in the table below.
3. Add 1 mL (10 drops) of Biuret Solution to each of the 5 tubes.
4. Wait 5 minutes. Record any color change for each tube in the following table.
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Tube Test Solution Color Color right Resulting Conclusion (Does the
before after Color after substance in the test tube
# Adding adding contain protein?)
Biuret Biuret 5 minutes
1 Egg albumin
2 Starch
3 Glucose
4 Water
5 Unknown___
General Conclusions: Compare the Biuret test results obtained on the different solutions. How
can you explain these results?_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Clean up:
2. Fill the test tubes with warm soapy water. Then using a test tube brush, scrub the inside of
the test tube. Be sure to remove all of the red colored residue (from the sugar tests). Also,
remove your markings on the outside of the tubes.
3. Rinse well with warm tap water and return the tubes to the rack on your bench.
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Discussion Questions
1. Fill in the table by listing the 4 classes of large biological molecules, their building blocks and
their functions:
2. With regard to biological molecules, what does it mean to be hydrophilic? What does it
mean to be hydrophobic? Can a molecule be both at the same time? Provide examples.
4. Look at the food labels. Judging by the numbers on these labels, how many food calories are
there in a gram of fat? Protein? Carbohydrate?
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5. Which type of large biological molecule would be best to use for energy storage? Why?