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Measuring sugar in bananas


J-Man

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Hi,

I'm in 6th grade and working on my first science fair project. I want to measure the amount of sugar in bananas at different stages of the ripening process. I need help with my experiment!!!

 

I want to do a quantitative benedict's solution test, but don't fully understand how it works. Here's what I know so far....everything I know is from the internet.

 

 

Collect a sugar solution from the banana. (Mash the banana, mix it with water, pour through filter paper)

 

Mix the sugar solution in the Benedict's solution and perform a titration. (Mix it in a test tube and heat with boiling water until the solution turns white)

 

Use stoichiometry to calculate the concentration of the sugar sample. WHAT?????

What is stoichiometry? I'm stuck here.

 

Once I figure out how much sugar was in the solution, how do I then find out how much was in the origianl banana chunk?

 

I've been studying about bananas for the last 3 months, and I think this should be fun. I just don't know how the whole thing works.

 

Thanks!

J-man

;)

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  • 8 months later...

Hi,

I'm in 6th grade and working on my first science fair project. I want to measure the amount of sugar in bananas at different stages of the ripening process. I need help with my experiment!!!

 

I want to do a quantitative benedict's solution test, but don't fully understand how it works. Here's what I know so far....everything I know is from the internet.

 

 

Collect a sugar solution from the banana. (Mash the banana, mix it with water, pour through filter paper)

 

Mix the sugar solution in the Benedict's solution and perform a titration. (Mix it in a test tube and heat with boiling water until the solution turns white)

 

Use stoichiometry to calculate the concentration of the sugar sample. WHAT?????

What is stoichiometry? I'm stuck here.

 

Once I figure out how much sugar was in the solution, how do I then find out how much was in the origianl banana chunk?

 

I've been studying about bananas for the last 3 months, and I think this should be fun. I just don't know how the whole thing works.

 

Thanks!

J-man

;)

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I think this may help.During the ripening process, bananas produce a plant hormone called ethylene, which indirectly affects the flavor. Among other things, ethylene stimulates the formation of amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch into sugar, influencing the taste of bananas. The greener, less ripe bananas contain higher levels of starch and, consequently, have a "starchier" taste. On the other hand, yellow bananas taste sweeter due to higher sugar concentrations. Furthermore, ethylene signals the production of pectinase, an enzyme which breaks down the pectin between the cells of the banana, causing the banana to soften as it ripens.

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