Experiment 1 Test For Carbohydrates
Experiment 1 Test For Carbohydrates
Experiment 1 Test For Carbohydrates
Butuan City
Biochemistry Laboratory
Experiment Guide
I. Objectives:
At the end of the period, the students should learn the characteristics and
classification of carbohydrates.
II. Theory:
Carbohydrates are generally considered as substances made up of carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen in which the proportion of hydrogen and oxygen is 2:1. It can be
defined also as aldehyde or ketone derivatives of polyhydric alcohols. Carbohydrates
are classified according to the number of saccharide groups contained in their
molecules. Like the monosaccharide- containing one saccharide group,
oligosaccharides- composed of more than one saccharide group and polysaccharides-
made of several saccharide group. The members of monosaccharide are trioses,
Tetroses, Pentoses, hexoses and Heptoses. In the oligosaccharides the members are
Disaccharides and Trisaccharides. For the polysaccharides, there are two groups: the
starch and the cellulose groups. Lower members are soluble in all proportions with
water and generally insoluble in 95% ethyl alcohol. The reason is that carbohydrates
are derived from polyhydric alcohol, so their molecules contains several hydroxyl (OH)
groups, thus they will not dissolve in 95% alcohol which is also saturated (OH) groups.
Some are soluble in cold water, like glycogen and inulin, but some like starch is
insoluble in cold water but is soluble in boiling water. Cellulose can be dissolve only in
special reagents. 2 Reactions of carbohydrates with strong acids will act on CHO’s
dehydrating them into furfural if a pentose. It is hydroxyl methyl furfural if hexose or
higher carbohydrates. This dehydration product then will act with the corresponding
reagent to form colored products of unknown nature. The production of the colored
product will sometimes serve as a specific test for some carbohydrates. Molisch’s
reagent is prepared by adding alpha-naphthol in ethyl alcohol.
III. Materials:
Fructose Glucose Lactose Sodium Chloride Ethyl Alcohol Starch
Sulfuric Acid Molisch’s Reagent Sucrose
IV. Apparatus:
Test tube Test tube rack Stirring rod Graduated cylinder Dropper
Beaker
V. Procedure:
1. Solubility Test the solubility of fructose, lactose, sucrose and starch in the
solvent water, 10% sodium chloride solution and ethyl alcohol. Use only a pinch of the
solid to be tested in 2 ml solvent.