Date: 19/09/2023

TITLE: Quantitative Food Test for Glucose

AIM: To determine the glucose concentration of unknown solutions A.B and C.

INTRODUCTION:
Carbohydrates can be monosaccharides, disaccharides or polysaccharides. Glucose is a
monosaccharide, which means a single sugar molecule. It is the main source of energy in
animals and can be transported in blood, where it can reach necessary cells. Glucose is also a
hexose which means it has six carbon atoms. KMnO4 is a potent oxidising agent that is
extensively employed in organic chemistry, in this experiment it acted upon glucose. A reaction
occurs between KMnO4 and glucose causing it to change from a purple hue to a colourless.

APPARATUS:
(6)test tubes, (2)stirring rods, a stopwatch, (2)10 ml measuring cylinder, (2)5 ml syringes, 24 ml
0.02M KMnO4, 60 ml 1M H2SO4, 20 ml each of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10% and 12% glucose
solutions, 20 ml of distilled water plus more for rinsing apparatus, 20 ml each (3) unknown
concentrations of glucose solution, A,B,C.

METHOD:
- 10 ml of 2% glucose solution was placed in a test tube.
- This was transferred to a test tube and 5 ml of 1M sulphuric acid was added, followed by
2 ml of 0.02M KMnO4.
- Immediately, the stopwatch was started.
- The mixture was stirred vigorously with a glass rod until it turned clear (measured
against a white piece of paper).
- The time taken for the mixture to turn colourless was measured. In the case that the
solution didn’t turn colourless within 5 minutes, the timer was stopped, and the time and
observation were recorded.
- Steps 1-5 were repeated for each glucose concentration
- This procedure was executed for glucose concentrations of 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12% and
unknowns A,B and C as well as distilled water.
SAMPLE TABLE OF RESULTS FOR QUANTITATIVE GLUCOSE TEST:

Glucose Time- Time- Time- Rate

concentration seconds(s) seconds(s) seconds(s) (1/t)
(%) Trial 1 Trial 2 Average

0 0.000s 0.000s 0.000s 0.00

2 236.000s 285.000s 260.500s 0.004

4 89.000s 107.000s 98.000s 0.010

6 68.000s 57.000s 62.500s 0.016

8 45.500s 42.000s 43.750s 0.023

10 41.000s 36.000s 38.500s 0.026

12 28.000s 30.000s 29.000s 0.035

A 91.000s 87.000s 89.000s 0.011

B 67.000s 62.000s 64.500s 0.016

C 32.000s 31.500s 37.750s 0.030

TRENDS:
The higher the levels of glucose concentration, the less time was taken for the solution to turn
colourless.
The values in Trial 1 and 2 decreased the higher the glucose percentage.
The time taken for trial 1, between 2% glucose and 4% glucose had the most drastic decrease.
The rate of the reaction increases with the increase of glucose concentration.

CALCULATIONS:
Average= (trial 1 + trial 2)/2 Rate= 1/t
2%= 236 + 285 = 521 = 260.5 2% = 1/ 260.5= 0.004 (3d.p)
10%= 41 + 36 = 77 = 38.5 8%= 1/43.75= 0.023 (3d.p)
C= 31.5 + 32= 63.5 = 31.75 10%= 1/38.5= 0.026 (3d.p)
C= 1/51.5= 0.020 (3d.p
GRAPHS:
DISCUSSION:
Stirring affects how rapidly a solute dissolves in a solvent but has no effect on how much solute
dissolves. Stirring simply moves the solvent molecules about, allowing them to interact with the
solid chunks of undissolved solute and transferring the dissolved solute away into the majority of
the solution. In the absence of stirring, the concentration of solute will be highest close to the
bits of solute, therefore more solute will not dissolve into the solution until the dissolved solute
has been carried away by diffusion. When KMnO4 combines with glucose (a monosaccharide
carbohydrate), a redox reaction occurs. This is able to occur because glucose is a reducing
sugar; reducing sugars have an exposed functional group (aldehyde group) which allows the
glucose molecule to participate in chemical reactions . In this process, glucose is oxidised.
During the reduction process, the colour of KMnO4 changes from purple to colourless.
During this experiment, churning keeps new solvent molecules in touch with the solute (in this
example, glucose). When stirring happens, fresh solvent molecules are continually brought to
the top, preventing saturation. As a result, more solute may dissolve, which leads to faster
response rates. Stirring improves mass transfer, allowing reactants to mix more effectively and
react more quickly. In solutions with higher percentage of glucose, glucose would be oxidised
faster/ take less time to turn colourless, as seen in 10% and 8% glucose solutions.

SOURCE OF ERROR:
1. The timer wasn’t started immediately at the addition of the KMnO4.
2. If all the solutions weren’t stirred, this would disrupt the experiment’s results, leading to a
lower rate of reaction in a solution to the rate of reaction that would’ve resulted from
stirring.

LIMITATIONS:
1. An insufficient number of test tubes to use throughout the experiment.
2. Cross contamination

PRECAUTIONS:
1. Thoroughly rinse all apparatus before use.
2. An equal value of glucose concentration was distributed to each test tube.

CONCLUSION:
In carrying out the experiment, how long each glucose solution took to become colourless was
recorded along with observations. This procedure was also carried out on solution A,B,C which
determined the glucose concentration of the unknown concentrations. The rate of reaction of the
unknown concentrations determined solution A has a glucose concentration of 5%, Solution B
has a glucose concentration of 6% and Solution C has a glucose concentration of 11%.