1
Research Question
How does increasing the cooking temperature of a Mangifera indica (M. indica/mango) (10.00, 18.00, 20.00, 30.00,
40.00, and 50.00 ±0.01℃) for 24 hours affect the Vitamin C concentration (mol) for 24 hours affect the Vitamin C concentration (mol dm−3) in the M. indica, measured through
a titration using 0.005 moldm−3of iodine solution using a burette (±0.05cm 3)?
Background Information
Background Research
Many people boil their fruits and vegetables as it is easier to eat and adds more flavor. I personally also do this
because I dislike eating raw fruits and vegetables and I like the soft texture. Although I do this commonly, I was
interested to discover if I still obtained the same nutrients from these foods after I cook them. This was because I had a
history of being vitamin-deficient due to the fact that I am very active and do sports every day. This meant, I would need
more vitamins than the average person because of my athletic lifestyle. For example, I was told that I had a low intake in
Vitamin C, which caused me to get sick easier and more often, so I had to take Vitamin C tablets to better my immune
system.
Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is a vitamin that is soluble in water and naturally present in some foods
(“Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin C”, 2018). This vitamin is essential to life as it aids in a variety of biological
processes in the body. First, it can help boost the immune system by increasing the production of phagocytes and
lymphocytes. Vitamin C allows them to work for effectively when fighting infectious diseases or substances that are
foreign to the body. In addition, research on Vitamin C has allowed for the discovery of Vitamin C reducing the risk of
aerothocloresis. In aerothocloresis, monocytes stick to the walls of the endothelium in the lungs, thus, the vessel walls
thicken and reduce elasticity (Goepp, 2008). The overall effect of this cardiovascular disease is that less oxygen is
pumped into the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe.
Although Vitamin C is vital for growth and development, it isn’t a stable compound. All cells have a
phospholipid bilayer that is composed of two layers of hydrophobic lipid tails (insoluble) and hydrophilic phosphate heads
(soluble) (Wilkin, 2018). This part of the cell controls the entry and exit of substances coming in and exiting out of the
cell. To add on, the presence of membrane proteins aid in molecules entering and exiting the cell through a variety of
processes. Within the membrane, there is also cholesterol which controls the fluidity of the membrane (“Membrane
Fluidity”, 2003).
Figure 1
Structure of the phospholipid bilayer
(“Structure of the Plasma Membrane.”, n.d. )
Temperature is a factor that affects the fluidity of the membrane. As the temperature increases, the more the
membrane becomes fluid, making it easier for molecules to pass through it because the fatty acid tails become less rigid
(Chandler, 2019). At high enough temperatures, the integral, peripheral, and channel proteins within the membrane could
potentially denature and break down (Chandler, 2019). In relation to Vitamin C, this means at higher temperatures, it is
easier for the vitamin to leave the cell of the food, thus decreasing the original overall Vitamin C content. This means the
Vitamin C will leach out of the fruit and into the boiling water when cooking these fruits or vegetables. The fruit I used in
my experiment to investigate the effects of heat on Vitamin C were M. indicas (mangoes).
, 2
I used a titration method as this allowed me to discover the concentration of an unknown solution (Vitamin C
concentration in the water bath that leaches out of the M. indica) by slowly adding another solution from a burette (0.005
moldm−3of iodine solution). The end-point of the titration was shown through a color change from a very light yellow
(color of water from the water bath the M. indica was placed in) to a green color (neutralization between iodine and
Vitamin C). The reaction between iodine and ascorbic acid is presented below:
C6H8O6(aq) + I2(aq)→C6H6O6(aq) + 2H+(aq) + 2I-(aq)
Figure 2 Formula for the reaction between iodine and ascorbic acid
(“Higher Chemistry - Getting the Most from Reactants - Revision 2.”, n.d.)
Hypothesis and Null Hypothesis
Hypothesis
If the temperature increases, then the Vitamin C content will increase in the water the M. indica is placed in,
meaning there is less Vitamin C in the fruit itself. This is because the membrane would become more fluid at higher
temperatures as the fatty acid tails become less rigid. The proteins within the membrane also denature more at higher
temperatures as the chemical structure is broken down. Overall, this means the Vitamin C will be able to pass through the
membrane more easily due to these components, thus leaching out of the fruit and going into the water the M. indica is in.
Null Hypothesis
There is no significant difference in the Vitamin C concentration as the temperature increases.
Variables
Independent Variable
Variable being changed:
Temperature of the water bath when ‘cooking’ the M. indica
How will it be changed:
I used a water bath to alter the temperature and monitored it using a temperature probe (±0.01 ℃) for 24 hours affect the Vitamin C concentration (mol)
Increments:
10.00, 18.00, 20.00, 30.00, 40.00, and 50.00 (±0.01℃) for 24 hours affect the Vitamin C concentration (mol),
Dependent Variable
Variable being measured:
Vitamin C concentration which I calculated through the average iodine volume required for a color change to occur
Unit of measurement:
cm3(±0.01)
How it will be measured:
Titration with 0.005 mol of iodine against water from the water bath the M. indica was in and 1% starch indicator using a
burette and stand
Controlled Variables
Controlled How will it be controlled? Why is it important?
Variables
The length of I put the M. indica in and took it out of the Storage time was a factor that affected the Vitamin C
Research Question
How does increasing the cooking temperature of a Mangifera indica (M. indica/mango) (10.00, 18.00, 20.00, 30.00,
40.00, and 50.00 ±0.01℃) for 24 hours affect the Vitamin C concentration (mol) for 24 hours affect the Vitamin C concentration (mol dm−3) in the M. indica, measured through
a titration using 0.005 moldm−3of iodine solution using a burette (±0.05cm 3)?
Background Information
Background Research
Many people boil their fruits and vegetables as it is easier to eat and adds more flavor. I personally also do this
because I dislike eating raw fruits and vegetables and I like the soft texture. Although I do this commonly, I was
interested to discover if I still obtained the same nutrients from these foods after I cook them. This was because I had a
history of being vitamin-deficient due to the fact that I am very active and do sports every day. This meant, I would need
more vitamins than the average person because of my athletic lifestyle. For example, I was told that I had a low intake in
Vitamin C, which caused me to get sick easier and more often, so I had to take Vitamin C tablets to better my immune
system.
Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is a vitamin that is soluble in water and naturally present in some foods
(“Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin C”, 2018). This vitamin is essential to life as it aids in a variety of biological
processes in the body. First, it can help boost the immune system by increasing the production of phagocytes and
lymphocytes. Vitamin C allows them to work for effectively when fighting infectious diseases or substances that are
foreign to the body. In addition, research on Vitamin C has allowed for the discovery of Vitamin C reducing the risk of
aerothocloresis. In aerothocloresis, monocytes stick to the walls of the endothelium in the lungs, thus, the vessel walls
thicken and reduce elasticity (Goepp, 2008). The overall effect of this cardiovascular disease is that less oxygen is
pumped into the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe.
Although Vitamin C is vital for growth and development, it isn’t a stable compound. All cells have a
phospholipid bilayer that is composed of two layers of hydrophobic lipid tails (insoluble) and hydrophilic phosphate heads
(soluble) (Wilkin, 2018). This part of the cell controls the entry and exit of substances coming in and exiting out of the
cell. To add on, the presence of membrane proteins aid in molecules entering and exiting the cell through a variety of
processes. Within the membrane, there is also cholesterol which controls the fluidity of the membrane (“Membrane
Fluidity”, 2003).
Figure 1
Structure of the phospholipid bilayer
(“Structure of the Plasma Membrane.”, n.d. )
Temperature is a factor that affects the fluidity of the membrane. As the temperature increases, the more the
membrane becomes fluid, making it easier for molecules to pass through it because the fatty acid tails become less rigid
(Chandler, 2019). At high enough temperatures, the integral, peripheral, and channel proteins within the membrane could
potentially denature and break down (Chandler, 2019). In relation to Vitamin C, this means at higher temperatures, it is
easier for the vitamin to leave the cell of the food, thus decreasing the original overall Vitamin C content. This means the
Vitamin C will leach out of the fruit and into the boiling water when cooking these fruits or vegetables. The fruit I used in
my experiment to investigate the effects of heat on Vitamin C were M. indicas (mangoes).
, 2
I used a titration method as this allowed me to discover the concentration of an unknown solution (Vitamin C
concentration in the water bath that leaches out of the M. indica) by slowly adding another solution from a burette (0.005
moldm−3of iodine solution). The end-point of the titration was shown through a color change from a very light yellow
(color of water from the water bath the M. indica was placed in) to a green color (neutralization between iodine and
Vitamin C). The reaction between iodine and ascorbic acid is presented below:
C6H8O6(aq) + I2(aq)→C6H6O6(aq) + 2H+(aq) + 2I-(aq)
Figure 2 Formula for the reaction between iodine and ascorbic acid
(“Higher Chemistry - Getting the Most from Reactants - Revision 2.”, n.d.)
Hypothesis and Null Hypothesis
Hypothesis
If the temperature increases, then the Vitamin C content will increase in the water the M. indica is placed in,
meaning there is less Vitamin C in the fruit itself. This is because the membrane would become more fluid at higher
temperatures as the fatty acid tails become less rigid. The proteins within the membrane also denature more at higher
temperatures as the chemical structure is broken down. Overall, this means the Vitamin C will be able to pass through the
membrane more easily due to these components, thus leaching out of the fruit and going into the water the M. indica is in.
Null Hypothesis
There is no significant difference in the Vitamin C concentration as the temperature increases.
Variables
Independent Variable
Variable being changed:
Temperature of the water bath when ‘cooking’ the M. indica
How will it be changed:
I used a water bath to alter the temperature and monitored it using a temperature probe (±0.01 ℃) for 24 hours affect the Vitamin C concentration (mol)
Increments:
10.00, 18.00, 20.00, 30.00, 40.00, and 50.00 (±0.01℃) for 24 hours affect the Vitamin C concentration (mol),
Dependent Variable
Variable being measured:
Vitamin C concentration which I calculated through the average iodine volume required for a color change to occur
Unit of measurement:
cm3(±0.01)
How it will be measured:
Titration with 0.005 mol of iodine against water from the water bath the M. indica was in and 1% starch indicator using a
burette and stand
Controlled Variables
Controlled How will it be controlled? Why is it important?
Variables
The length of I put the M. indica in and took it out of the Storage time was a factor that affected the Vitamin C
