Beverage Density Lab: Sugar Content Analysis

EN 5

In this experiment you will use 5 prepared sugar solutions of varying concentrations as standards for determining the sugar contents of 5 beverages. The concentration is measured by mass percent, which tells you what percentage of the solution is made from sugar (the remainder is water). For example, in the 5% sugar solution if you had 100 grams altogether, you would have 5 grams of sugar and 95 grams of water. Sugar is a main component in most beverages, and it adds not only energy (Calories) but also adds to the density of the solution. You will measure the density of each of the sugar solutions, and make a graph of that data. You will determine the density of the beverages listed below, then use the graph to determine the approximate sugar content of each one. Pre-lab Question: How well you think you know the beverages you drink? Try to rank the following drinks from lowest sugar content to highest: cola, diet cola, grape soda, grape juice, powerade. Purpose: To construct a graph of sugar content versus density for 5 sugar solutions. To determine the sugar content of 5 beverages using graphical analysis. Materials: balance 5 sugar solutions 5 beverages Safety: goggles, glass breakage Procedure: 1. Place a small (100 mL) beaker on the balance and hit the tare button. The scale should read 0.00 g. 2. Draw up 10.00 mL of the 0% sugar solution into the pipette. Then empty it into the beaker, touching the tip to the side of the beaker to allow all 10.00 mL to be released. Do not try to shake out the remaining liquid. 3. Since the beaker has already been zeroed out, the mass shown on the balance is the mass of the liquid alone. Record this mass reading in the data table, then push the tare button to re-zero the scale for the next measurement. 4. Rinse the pipette with distilled water from the wash bottle and touch the tip of the pipette to a paper towel to get rid of the excess liquid in the tip. 5. Repeat steps 1-4 for each of the remaining sugar solutions, and then with the beverages. Do not put any of the solutions back into the bottles from which they came, you can just leave them in the beaker. When the beaker gets full, simply empty it into the sink, set it back on the balance and press the tare button. Calculations: Calculate the density of each of the solutions, and enter these values in the data tables. Remember to use correct significant figures. small beaker pipette & bulb

Data Table: Sample 0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

Mass

Density

Beverage Cola Diet cola Grape juice Grape soda Powerade

Mass

Density

Sugar content from graph

Analysis: 1. Carefully plot your calculated densities versus sugar content (%) for each of the five sugar solutions. Review the Guidelines for Graphing in your booklet to create an appropriate graph! 2. Then use the densities of the 5 beverages to approximate their sugar contents. To do this, simply start on the y-axis at a density of one of the beverages and move to the right until you hit the line that you drew on the graph. Make a dot at this point, circle, and label it. Then go straight down until you hit the x-axis to determine the corresponding sugar content value. Record these values in the data table. 3. Rank the 5 beverages from lowest to highest sugar content. 4. Look at the calorie values for the beverages. Determine number of Calories per mL of each beverage. Rank the beverages from lowest calorie content to highest. Determine whether or not the sugar content and is proportional to the calorie content. Explain why this relationship should or should not exist. Questions: 1. How well did you do in guessing the sugar-content rank of the beverages? 2. Water has a density of 1.00 g/mL at 4 oC. Was your room temperature value for the density of water (0%) higher or lower than 1.00? Why do you think the density value was off in that direction (hint: think about how temperature may affect the variables used to determine the density may be affected by temperature changes). 3. Why were you told not to put the solutions back into the bottles from which they came? 4. Why was it okay to leave the liquid in the beaker from one trial to the next? 5. In this lab, you discarded all the liquids into the sink. When would this not be appropriate? 6. List 3 liquids found around your home that should not be discarded in the sink. 7. This lab uses density to approximate sugar content in beverages. What assumption does the lab make about the other ingredients in the beverages? 8. How would you make a 10% sugar solution? (Exactly how much sugar and water would you use?) 9. Draw a sketch of the pipette. Why is it more precise than a graduated cylinder? 10. Look at the various pieces of glassware used to measure volume in the laboratory. How does the diameter seem to affect the precision of the instrument? Conclusion: Mind Prober: Imagine you are at a picnic and there are cans of diet and regular cola in a cooler of ice water. Where (at the top or bottom of the cooler) would you find each beverage?