The Managing Director of a well-known company on Wall Street thrives on a diet of fruit jam, bread, pasta, and coffee. She exercises intermittently. One day she decides to go to her primary healthcare provider for a routine checkup. The healthcare provider recommends that she take the Benedict's test. Assume that the glucose levels of the patient are high.
•State the results that the test would indicate (specify the color of the solution).
•State the composition and the properties of the ketohexose derived from fruit jam.
•Describe the manner in which ketohexose acts as a reducing sugar in the test.
To answer the question about the results of the Benedict's test, the test is used to detect the presence of reducing sugars, including glucose, in a solution. If the glucose levels of the patient are high, it means that there is an increased amount of glucose, a reducing sugar, in their body. In the Benedict's test, a positive result would indicate the presence of reducing sugars. The solution would turn from blue to green, yellow, orange, or even red, depending on the concentration of the reducing sugar.
Regarding the composition and properties of the ketohexose derived from fruit jam, fruit jam typically contains a sugar called fructose. Fructose is a monosaccharide and a member of the ketohexose family, which means it has six carbon atoms and contains a ketone functional group. It is commonly found in fruits and serves as a source of energy. Fructose has a sweet taste and is often used as a sweetener, including in the production of jams.
Now let's talk about how ketohexose acts as a reducing sugar in the Benedict's test. Ketohexoses, such as fructose, have a functional group called a carbonyl group, specifically a ketone group. This carbonyl group can react with the copper ions in the Benedict's reagent, which contains copper (II) sulfate, sodium citrate, and sodium carbonate.
During the Benedict's test, the ketohexose is heated in the presence of the Benedict's reagent. The carbonyl group of the ketohexose reduces the cupric ions (Cu2+) in the Benedict's reagent to cuprous ions (Cu+). As a result, a red precipitate of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) forms, indicating a positive result for the presence of a reducing sugar.
In summary, the results of the Benedict's test would indicate the presence of reducing sugars, such as glucose, which can be indicated by a color change in the solution. The ketohexose derived from fruit jam is fructose, which is a monosaccharide with a ketone group. In the Benedict's test, the ketohexose acts as a reducing sugar by reducing copper ions in the Benedict's reagent, resulting in the formation of a red precipitate.