BTEC APPLIED SCIENCE UNIT 6 ASSIGNMENT 3 B C & D DISTINCTION GUARANTEED 2024.

BTEC APPLIED SCIENCE UNIT 6 ASSIGNMENT 3 B C & D DISTINCTION GUARANTEED 2024. Unit 6 – Assignment 3. (Learning C and D). A test to determine if different fruits contain different amounts of reducing sugars. The purpose of the scientific investigative project was to carry out a test in order to see if different fruits contain reducing sugars, and if so, what is the difference in the amount of reducing sugars present. Reducing sugars are a type of sugar which are capable of reducing chemicals through an oxidation reaction; this is because reducing sugars are able to act as a reducing agent. Reducing sugars are able to act as a reducing agent because of the ketone or aldehyde functional groups which are present in the sugars molecular structure. These ketone and aldehyde functional groups can take part in oxidisation reactions. An example of a reducing sugar is glucose. During the experiment, Benedict’s test was used in order to test the different samples of fruit to see if reducing sugars were present. Benedict’s solution contains sodium citrate, sodium carbonate and pentahydrate of copper (II) sulfate. This test can also be used to test for simple carbohydrates or to test for the presence of glucose in urine. The fruits which were used during the laboratory practice were a kiwi, raspberries, an orange, and a lemon. When benedict’s reagent is added into the fruit sample, if reducing sugars are present a reduction reaction will occur and cause the benedict’s solution to change colour. If there are no reducing sugars present in the sample, the sample will stay blue; this is the colour of the benedict’s reagent. If reducing sugars are present the colour will change based on the amount of reducing sugars present. The solution will become green/ yellow if there is an exceedingly small amount of reducing sugars present. If there is a moderate amount of reducing sugars, then the solution will become orange. Finally, if there is an exceptionally large amount of reducing sugars present, then the solution will become brick red. A diagram to show an oxidation reaction taking place when testing for reducing sugars: (Sagar Aryal, 2022) This diagram is useful, asit is an uncomplicated way of presenting exactly what happens during benedict’s test for reducing sugars. In this reaction, oxygen is being oxidised and hydrogen is being reduced. 1 (B) A diagram showing the reaction which takes place when benedict’sreagent is added into a simple sugar in order to test for reducing sugars. An example of colour changes produced using benedict’s test: