Yeast Fermentation Lab

By Zane Piersanti
Period B Honors Biology
3/9/15
Problem- How much gas is produced from yeast mixed with different concentrations of
molasses?

Variables-
Independent: Concentration of molasses
Dependent: The amount of carbon dioxide produced
Control variables: Amount of yeast placed in each vial, length of intervals in between when
the vials are measured, environment the vials are kept in, same brand of yeast and
molasses

Hypothesis- If the concentration of molasses is higher, the more carbon dioxide that will be
produced

Background Info-
Yeast- A microscopic fungus consisting of single oval cells that reproduce by budding, and
are capable of converting sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide
Molasses- thick, dark brown syrup obtained from raw sugar during the refining process, a
version of which is used in baking

Experimental Design
Materials-
Graduated cylinders, Small test tubes, Test tube rack, Plastic wrap, Splash-proof goggles,
Paper towels for cleanup, Ruler, Teacher prepared molasses solutions (Grandma’s
unsulphured molasses), Teacher prepared yeast suspension (Fleischmanns active dry
yeast), Large test tubes

Procedure-
1. Set up 6 small test tubes in a test tube rack and label them: 50%, 25%, 12.5%,
6.25%, 3.13%, 0%
2. Place 5 mL of the appropriate molasses solution into each test tube
3. Add 5 drops of yeast solution to each test tube
4. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the opening of the test tube, place a finger over
the plastic wrap and invert test tubes 3 times to mix contents
5. Put a large inverted test tube over the top of the small test tube. Carefully turn the
large test tube over with the small test tube inside
6. Measure the length of the gas bubble at the top of the small test tube. Record this
value as the starting length of the gas bubble.
7. Keep the test tube rack on the lab bench undisturbed
8. Observe and measure the size of the gas bubble at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours
 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

50% Molasses Solution 6 mL 36 mL 19 mL 20.33 mL

25% Molasses Solution 10 mL 45 mL 50 mL 35 mL

12.5% Molasses Solution 17 mL 27 mL 49 mL 31 mL

6.25% Molasses Solution 15 mL 22 mL 40 mL 25.66 mL

3.25% Molasses Solution 13 mL 19 mL 18 mL 16.66 mL

0% Molasses Solution 0 mL 0 mL 1 mL .33 mL

Data: After 24 Hours Increase from initial bubble

Questions:

1. Once the yeast reached the peak amount of molasses it could use for food, which was
between 25% and 12.5%, the yeast either began to drown and have too much food, or not
have enough food.
2. While in our class's case this didn’t happen, this may have been because the yeast was
drowned in molasses and couldn’t gather energy as efficiently.
3.
-Set up 6 small test tubes in a test tube rack and label them: 50%, 25%, 12.5%, 6.25%,
3.13%, 0%
-Place 5 mL of the appropriate molasses solution into each test tube
-Add 5 drops of yeast solution to each test tube
-Place a piece of plastic wrap over the opening of the test tube, place a finger over the
plastic wrap and invert test tubes 3 times to mix contents
-Put a large inverted test tube over the top of the small test tube. Carefully turn the large
test tube over with the small test tube inside
-Measure the length of the gas bubble at the top of the small test tube. Record this value as
the starting length of the gas bubble.
-Keep the test tube rack on the lab bench undisturbed
-Observe and measure the size of the gas bubble at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours
4. No carbon dioxide is produced in the control because the yeast has nothing to gather
energy from, and therefore can’t produce the gas.
5. The three trial is better the single trial because in one trial there may be something that
could affect the results, while in three trials the chance of a problem occurring is much
lower.
6. Same brand of yeast, same brand of molasses, same environment to keep the test tube
in, and amount of yeast poured into each tube, length in between when the vials are
measured
7. If these variables are not held constant then the data could be affected. For example, if
there was a different brand of yeast or molasses was used, the amount of energy provided
to the yeast could be different. Also, the yeast could produce gas faster in a different brand
than the previously stated.
8. The yeast has more food, which means more energy for the yeast to use. If the yeast has
more energy it can produce more carbon dioxide. So in the 12.5% example, it simply just
has more energy to use than the 6.25% and 3.12% concentrations.
9. Yeast transforms the sugar from molasses into carbon dioxide. This process is known as
fermentation. The chemical equation is as follows: C6H12O6 + Zymase → 2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2.
10. The amount of carbon dioxide produced would be much higher. If an experiment is done
under the optimum temperature the results will be higher than if it’s done at a different
temperature.
Conclusion:
The molasses concentration does in fact affect the carbon dioxide production. The peak of
the production is in between 25% and 12.5%. The highest average that was recorded was
at 25%, which produced 35 mL of carbon dioxide. After this peak the carbon dioxide
produced went down. This was because the yeast was drowned in molasses and could not
produce the gas as efficiently. Before the peak the yeast didn’t have as much energy to
produce carbon dioxide and therefore produced less.

Validity:
Overall the experiment was valid, however there were some points that could have been
improved. Some examples are, the fact that the size of drops and amount of molasses may
not have been consistent for all 6 test tubes. Also the measuring could have been off by a
cm or mm. However this would not affect the overall outcome of the experiment, making it
overall, valid.