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Essay about Identification of Macromolecules- Lab Report

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Identification of Macromolecules Introduction The most common macromolecules found in living organisms are lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids. Briefly, the meaning of macromolecules is that they normally contain two or more molecules in them and their main functions are to store energy, information and much more. Most foods are known to be combinations of macromolecules. While some of these compounds can be detected by taste tests, many cannot. Scientists then use certain tests to determine the presence of macromolecules. In doing the lab, one was able to determine the characteristics of the given solutions, containing different macromolecules, whilst doing the multiple tests. The tests performed were, …show more content…

1% starch solution | light blue | no colour change | light blue | blue/black | #9. Protein | light blue | deeper blue | dark violet | pale yellow | #10. Beer | green/blue | yellow opaque | light blue | orange/red | #11. distilled water | light blue | no colour change | light blue | pale yellow | #12. unknown #128 | light blue | Red | light blue | pale yellow | Discussion Proteins are the basis of the protoplasm (fluid living content of the cell that contains the cytoplasm and cell nucleus) and are found in all living organisms. Proteins make up the bulk of animals body’s non-skeletal structure. As enzymes, they catalyze biochemical reactions; as antibodies, they prevent the effects of invading organisms; and as hormones, they control metabolic processes (C. Bissonnette, 2011). The Biuret test was used to detect the presence of peptide bonds within proteins, and they were found present in test tube #9 (control for peptide bonds). Reducing sugars are monosaccharides that have equilibrium with the straight-chain and cyclic form, which the sugar engages in an oxidation-reduction reaction with Cu2+ (C. Bissonnette, 2011). Through this test, one is able to determine that the unknown solution #128 is a non-reducing sugar because the results show that the test turned out positive, and reducing sugars cause negative tests to occur. The iodine test is used to identify glycogen and starch. These polysaccharides combine with iodine to

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