Carbohydrate Identification Lab Report-Abby Lacy

PROCEDURE:
We first conducted the Benedicts solution test which identifies reducing sugars. We
were able to find that one of the non-reducing sugars was in test tube D because it did not react
in any way to the solution. The quality that helped us identify the reducing sugars was the
orange color in the precipitate. The reducing sugars consisted of test tubes A, B, and C. We then
did the iodine test second because it revealed a quality of a blue/black/purple color which allows
us to identify it as starch which was test tube E, which we are then able to eliminate from further
testing, since it is the only carbohydrate that will react with the solution. Since A, B, and C were
identified as the reducing sugars and E was identified as starch, that left sucrose to be identified
as test tube D. We then chose to conduct the Barfoeds solution test in order to identify more of
the carbohydrates. The indication of the reaction is if the dissolved carbohydrate reacts after
exactly two minutes by creating a brick red-colored precipitate. If this precipitate appears after 2
minutes, the dissolved carbohydrate is a monosaccharide. As identified earlier, the reducing
sugars were in test tubes A, B, and C which are lactose, glucose/aldose, and fructose/ketose
respectively. Lactose is not a monosaccaride, so we were able to identify it as test tube A, as it
also did not produce the brick red-colored precipitate. Lastly, we conducted the Seliwanoff test
which identified ketose which was fructose as test tube B, due to it reacting by turning the red
color much faster than test tube C, which identifies as the aldose which was glucose as it took a
lot longer to react.

Results:

Test Tubes #32154

A-Lactose
B-Glucose
C-Fructose
D-Sucrose
E-Starch

Test Tube Benedicts Iodine Test Barfoed Test Seliwanoff Inferences

Test Test
A Reducing Didnt test Not a N/A Lactose
Sugar- because monosaccharide-
Turned starch is not no precipitate
Orange a reducing
sugar and
this test was
used to
discover
starch
 B Reducing Didnt test Monosaccharide- Not ketose- Glucose
Sugar- because Red precipitate no
Turned starch is not at the bottom precipitate
Orange a reducing appeared
sugar and
this test was
used to
discover
starch
C Reducing Didnt test Monosaccharide- Ketose- Fructose
Sugar- because Red precipitate precipitate
Turned starch is not at the bottom appeared
Orange a reducing
sugar and
this test was
used to
discover
starch
D Non- Stayed the N/A N/A Sucrose
Reducing same color
Sugar
E Non- Starch- N/A N/A Starch
Reducing turned dark
Sugar blue/black or
purple color

WRITTEN RESULTS:
When testing the Benedicts solution, test tubes A, B, and C came back with positive results as
the color changed to orange when tested. This enabled us to identify them as the reducing
sugars. We then proceeded to test D and E and neither of them had any signs of a reaction or
change, so we knew they were the non-reducing sugars. Next, we tested iodine to discover the
starch, so we did not test A, B, or C since we already knew they were reducing sugars and that
the starch had to either be in test tube D or E. We tested D, and the only result we saw was an
orange color from the iodine, but no reaction. When we tested E, we were able to see a dark
purple color after putting the iodine in, so that told us that test tube E was starch. After that, we
tested Barfoeds solution. We tested test tube A, but the carbohydrate did not react or in other
words, there was no precipitate, telling us that it was not a monosaccharide. We then proceeded
to test B and C and the results came back positive with a red precipitate at the bottom,
indicating that they are monosaccharides. Lastly, we tested Seliwanoff to find out if B or C was
ketose. We tested B first, but it came back with no reaction, but then tested C, and a precipitate
appeared, leading us to the conclusion that it was ketose, and more specifically, fructose.
CONCLUSION:
Because test tube A turned orange in the Benedicts test and did not have a precipitate at the
bottom after Barfoeds test, this leads me to believe that it is a reducing sugar, disaccharide, and
is lactose specifically. Since test tube B also turned orange in the Benedicts, but had a
precipitate at the bottom after Barfoeds test, and did not have a precipitate after the Seliwanoff
test, I believe test tube B is also a reducing sugar, monosaccharide, and is glucose specifically.
Test tube C also turned orange after conducting the use of Benedicts solution along with having
the precipitate appear at the bottom after the Barfoeds test as well as having the precipitate
appear at the bottom after the Seliwanoff test, I think that test tube C is the a monosaccharide,
ketose, and most importantly: Fructose. After testing test tube D for the Benedicts solution and
getting a negative result (the color did not change/no reaction occurred), and also staying the
same color during the iodine test lead me to think that test tube D was the sucrose. Lastly, after
testing test tube E in the iodine test, it was the only one to turn purple, so I made an inference
that it was starch.