CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL BIOLOGY: PRACTICAL TEACHER’S GUIDE

2 Biological
molecules
CHAPTER OUTLINE
This chapter relates to Chapter 2: Biological molecules, in the Coursebook.
In this chapter students will complete practical investigations on:
• 2.1 The biochemical tests used to identify different biological molecules
• 2.2 The semi-quantitative Benedict’s test and serial dilutions
• 2.3 Using a semi-quantitative iodine test to compare the starch content of bananas.

Practical Investigation 2.1: The biochemical tests

used to identify different biological molecules
Learning outcomes: 2.1.1, 2.1.3

Skills focus
The following skills are developed and practised (see the skills grids at the front of this guide):
MMO Making decisions about measurements: (c), (d)
Successfully collecting data and observations: (a), (e)
PDO Recording data and observations: (a), (b), (d)
ACE Interpreting data or observations and identifying sources of error: (d)
Drawing conclusions: (a)

Duration
The work should take approximately 1 h to complete but it could be split over two lessons if time is an issue.

Preparing for the investigation

• The practical work in this investigation is quite simple although students will need to work through it
methodically.
• Students should know how to set up Bunsen burners safely. They will need to be shown how if they have not
used them before.
• Most of the investigation is based upon observation and the recording of qualitative results.
• Students should understand the main groups of biological molecules: carbohydrates (monosaccharides such
as glucose, fructose, galactose; disaccharides such as sucrose, maltose and lactose; and polysaccharides such
as starch), proteins and lipids.
• Many test tubes are needed and students should be encouraged to wash them out thoroughly between
experiments. The emulsion test should be done last as it is difficult to remove all traces.
• The emulsion test for lipids should only be carried out at the end when all naked flames are extinguished.

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You will need

Each student or group will need:

Equipment
• minimum of ten test tubes • dilute hydrochloric acid (2M) in a dropper
• test-tube rack bottle
• Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze and heat-proof • sodium hydrogencarbonate (solid)
tile (alternatively, whole class thermostatically • spatula
controlled water baths may be used set to • 20 cm3 1% starch solution
85 °C)
• 20 cm3 1% protein solution (albumin or casein)
• test-tube holder
• vegetable oil (any oil such as olive oil or
• glass beakers, 500 cm3 and 50 cm3 sunflower oil; avoid nut oils to reduce risk of
• pipette, 10 cm3, and pipette filler (if pipettes allergic reactions)
are not available, small measuring cylinders or • 20 cm3 10% glucose
syringes may be used)
• 20 cm3 10% fructose
• Benedict’s solution, 25 cm3
• 20 cm3 10% sucrose
• biuret solution, 25 cm3
• 20 cm3 10% lactose
• iodine solution in a dropper bottle
• 20 cm3 10% maltose
• ethanol, 20 cm3
• 20 cm3 ‘unknown’ solutions X, Y and Z
• distilled water, 50 cm3

Additional notes and advice

Stock solutions
• Benedict’s solution may be purchased ready made from suppliers. To make 1 dm–3, dissolve 170 g sodium
citrate crystals and 100 g sodium carbonate crystals in 800 cm3 warm distilled water. In a separate beaker,
dissolve 17.0 g copper(II) sulfate crystals in 200 cm3 cold distilled water. Mix both solutions whilst constantly
stirring.
• Biuret solution may be purchased ready made from suppliers. If it is not available, separate solutions of
sodium hydroxide and copper sulfate may be used. Sodium hydroxide concentrations of between 1 and
2 dm–3 should work and a 1% solution of copper(II) sulfate made in distilled water is then added. Biuret
solution should not be stored for long periods in glass bottles.
• Iodine solution may be purchased ready made from suppliers. To make 100 cm3 iodine solution, grind
1 g iodine and 1 g potassium iodide in a mortar, gradually adding distilled water to dissolve the crystals.
Pour the solution into a measuring cylinder and make up to 100 cm3 with distilled water.
• 2 mol dm–3 hydrochloric acid. Dilute 200 cm3 concentrated hydrochloric acid with 800 cm3 distilled water.
• 1% starch solution. To make 500 cm3, add 5 g soluble starch powder to approximately 300 cm3 distilled water
in a beaker. Heat to boiling point until all the starch dissolves then make up the solution to 500 cm3 with
cold distilled water. Store in a refrigerator and use within two days.
• 1% protein solution. Either albumin or casein can be used. Slowly dissolve 1 g commercial albumin
powder in 100 cm3 cold water (it will take time). Alternatively, use a 1 in 10 dilution of raw egg white. For a
1% casein solution, dissolve 1 g casein powder in 100 cm3 distilled water. Alternatively, powdered milk can be
used but at slightly higher concentrations. Store in a refrigerator.
• 1% glucose (and other sugars). To make 100 cm3, weigh out 1 g of sugar and make up to 100 cm3 with cold
distilled water. Store in a refrigerator for up to two weeks.
• Solution X: To make 100 cm3, weigh out 1 g glucose, 1 g albumin. Dissolve in 100 cm3 distilled water.
• Solution Y: To make 100 cm3, weigh out 1 g sucrose. Dissolve in 100 cm3 distilled water.
• Solution Z: To make 100 cm3, weigh out 1 g glucose, 1 g starch. Dissolve in 100 cm3 distilled water.

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Safety considerations
• Students should have read the Safety guidance section in the Practical Workbook before carrying out this
investigation.
• Standard laboratory safety procedures should be followed always.
• Before carrying out the emulsion test, all naked flames should be extinguished. This is extremely important
as ethanol is highly flammable.
• When making up the solutions, special care should be taken with substances such as concentrated
hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide and solid iodine.
• Eye protection should be worn always.
• Iodine solution should not be poured into natural water as it is harmful to aquatic organisms.
• If concentrated acids and alkalis are used when making up the solutions, extra care should be taken: high
quality eye protection should be used and protective gloves.
• Some students may be allergic to certain oils. Do not use oils such as groundnut, almond or peanut oil.

Carrying out the investigation

• It is important to trial the tests before the investigation to ensure that they give the correct results.
• If starch is kept for too long, it can begin to break down, releasing glucose. It should be made up fresh and
stored for only up to two days in the refrigerator.
• Biuret solution should not be kept for long periods in glass bottles as it will react with the glass and stop
working.
• Test tubes should be rinsed out carefully but after reducing sugar tests there may be a residue that will not
come off easily. It is advisable to have many other clean test tubes.
• Students should be reminded that it is important to wash out pipettes thoroughly between different
solutions.
• Sucrose can sometimes be contaminated with glucose and so give a positive reducing sugar test – it should
be tested before the experiment.
• The reducing sugar test should have shown that sucrose did not cause Benedict’s solution to change colour.
To carry out a non-reducing sugar test, it is important that a negative result is obtained with the reducing
sugar test before proceeding.
Help should be provided for any students with physical disabilities in the laboratory when using boiling
water baths. It is good practice to not sit down in the event of boiling water being spilled. Where this is not
possible (e.g. with wheelchair users), alternative provisions such as thermostatically controlled water baths
can be used.
Colour-blind students may have difficulty discriminating between the colours of the Benedict’s test. They
may need another student to read out colours.
Students could be encouraged to trial food items that are available to identify the molecules – care should be
taken to avoid risk of allergies.
As an extension activity, students should try carrying out reducing sugar and non-reducing sugar tests on a
mixture of glucose and sucrose solutions and comparing the results of the two tests.

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Sample results
See Tables 2.1 and 2.2.

Biological Final colour of solution after biochemical test

molecule Iodine Biuret Reducing sugar Non-reducing sugar Emulsion test
1% starch blue / black
1% protein lilac / purple
10% glucose yellow / orange blue red / orange
and cloudy
10% fructose red / orange
and cloudy
10% maltose red / orange
and cloudy
10% lactose red / orange
and cloudy
10% sucrose blue and clear red / orange and
cloudy
vegetable oil white and cloudy
water yellow / orange blue blue and clear blue and clear
ethanol colourless
Table 2.1

Biological molecule Final colour of solution after biochemical test

Iodine Biuret Reducing sugar Non-reducing sugar
solution X yellow / orange lilac red / orange and cloudy red / orange and cloudy
solution Y yellow / orange blue blue red / orange and cloudy
solution Z blue / black blue red / orange and cloudy red / orange and cloudy
Table 2.2

Answers:
Answers to the workbook questions (using the sample results)
a i Contents of unknown solution X: protein, reducing sugar (glucose), non-reducing sugar (sucrose) may
or may not be present
Contents of unknown solution Y: non-reducing sugar (sucrose)
Contents of unknown solution Z: starch, non-reducing sugar (glucose), non-reducing sugar (sucrose)
may or may not be present
ii  X and Z both contain a reducing sugar which will give a positive result with both reducing sugar
and non-reducing sugar tests. As the tests are qualitative, it is difficult to determine if there is extra
precipitate or not.
b •  Monosaccharides that are reducing sugars: glucose, fructose, galactose
• Disaccharides that are reducing sugars: lactose, maltose
•  Disaccharides that are non-reducing sugars: sucrose.
c The test with water is to act as a control and show what a negative test looks like for comparison.
d The tests are qualitative as they do not give an indication of the number of molecules present.
e i Both reducing and non-reducing sugar tests use a Benedict’s test. This means that glucose would react
with both tests.

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ii The non-reducing sugar test hydrolyses the sucrose into glucose and fructose. These are both reducing
sugars and then react with the Benedict’s solution. When bound together in sucrose, neither the glucose
nor fructose is able to donate electrons.
iii Carry out reducing sugar tests on both solutions. This will show which one solution is glucose as it will
give a positive test. Then carry out a non-reducing sugar test on the other solution to confirm it
is sucrose.
f The solution contains a mixture of both reducing and non-reducing sugars. If it contains both glucose and
sucrose, for example, the reducing sugar test will generate a precipitate from just the free glucose. If a non-
reducing sugar test is carried out, the sucrose is hydrolysed into glucose and fructose so that the solution now
contains additional glucose and fructose. These will now react with Benedict’s solution to produce additional
precipitate.

Practical Investigation 2.2: The semi-quantitative

Benedict’s test and serial dilutions
Learning outcomes: 2.1.2, 2.2.6

Skills focus
The following skills are developed and practised (see the skills grids at the front of this guide):
MMO Making decisions about measurements: (c)
Successfully collecting data and observations: (a), (e)
PDO Recording data and observations: (a), (b), (d)
Layout of data or observations: (i)
ACE Interpreting data or observations and identifying sources of error: (c), (d), (g), (i)
Drawing conclusions: (a)
Interpreting data or observations and identifying sources of error: (g), (i)

Duration
The work should take approximately 1 h to complete.

Preparing for the investigation

• Students should have carried out Practical Investigation 2.1 and so understand the reducing sugar test.
• Solutions should be tested before the investigation to ensure that they work correctly.
• Individual boiling water baths can be set up by students but the experiment can also be carried out using
thermostatically controlled water baths set at 85 °C.
• Comparing colours is very subjective and this should be discussed as a source of error. It is worthwhile
different groups of students comparing what they decided the colours matched up to.
• This experiment is a useful way of introducing the ideas of quantitative and qualitative data. It is also an
appropriate point to discuss the idea of uncertainty in the results as only an approximate concentration can
be inferred.

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You will need

Each student or group will need:

Equipment
• nine test tubes • Benedict’s solution, 100 cm3 (see Practical
• test-rube rack Investigation 2.1)
• Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze and heat-proof • distilled water, 100 cm3
tile (alternatively, whole class thermostatically • 10% glucose solution, 50 cm3
controlled water baths may be used set to 85°C) • ‘unknown’ concentration of glucose, 20 cm3
• test-tube holder (see Practical Investigation 2.1) – this should be
• glass beakers, 500 cm3, 50 cm3 0.05% concentration
• pipette, 10 cm3 and 1 cm3 and pipette filler (if
pipettes are not available, small measuring
cylinders or syringes may be used)

Safety considerations
• Students should have read the Safety guidance section in the Practical Workbook before carrying out this
investigation.
• Standard laboratory safety procedures should be followed always.
• There are no additional significant safety issues associated with this investigation.

Carrying out the investigation

• This should be quite a straightforward practical.
• Students will often find the idea of serial dilutions difficult and will often ask for help.
• It is important that the tubes are mixed carefully for each dilution before removing 1 cm3.
• Students may need to set up two water baths or share additional water baths.
Colour-blind students may have difficulty discriminating between the colours of the Benedict’s test. Another
student may need to help them identify the colours.
Students could also be provided with a range of ready-made fruit juice drinks and asked to estimate the
sugar concentrations of each.

Sample results
See Table 2.3.

Test tube number Glucose concentration / % Colour of Benedict’s solution

1 10 brick red
2 1 orange
3 0.1 yellow
4 0.01 green
5 0.001 pale green
6 0.0001 blue
Table 2.3

The colour of the unknown solution was green/yellow.

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Answers:
Answers to the workbook questions (using the sample results)
a The concentration of glucose in the ‘unknown’ solution is approximately 0.1 / 0.01%. It may lie within a
range of 0.1–0.5%. Students’ answers may vary here depending on how they saw the colours – it is very
subjective.
b A fully quantitative method would give an accurate, exact concentration of glucose. This method allows
students to approximate the amount of glucose without being certain of the exact concentration.
c The exact concentration can only be judged to lie between 0.1% and 0.01% as there is no colour standard for
0.05%. There would also be too little difference in colour between standard concentrations that were made
between 0.1% and 0.01%. The human eye would not be able to detect the difference.
d All the standard solutions and the test solution had a volume of 9 cm3 to which 5 cm3 Benedict’s solution
were added. If 1 cm3 were not discarded, it would have had 10 cm3 glucose which could affect the reaction.
e Standardised variables included:
• temperature of water bath: higher or lower temperatures may affect the reaction speed
• length of time in water bath: leaving the solutions longer may have resulted in more reaction − ideally,
the length of time should be sufficient to ensure the reactions are complete
• volume of glucose solution: more solution would result in more intense colour due to increase of
glucose
• volume of Benedict’s solution: different amounts would affect whether the reaction had gone to
completion
• concentration of Benedict’s solution: different amounts would affect whether the reaction had gone to
completion.
f If the amount of Cu2+ runs out before all the glucose molecules have oxidised or donated electrons, it is not
an accurate measure of glucose concentration. Theoretically, if more Benedict’s solution were added, more
precipitate would form. If insufficient, the glucose concentration would be estimated to be lower than it is.
g Tube 6 is a control. This shows the colour that Benedict’s solution turns when heated. It could be argued
that simply heating Benedict’s solution causes it to change colour even without glucose.
h Alternative methods could be:
• filtering the solution to collect the precipitate. This would be dried and weighed. A calibration graph
could be plotted of mass of precipitate against glucose concentration and used to determine glucose
concentrations of other solutions.
• using a colorimeter to measure the red colour or blue colour or turbidity. A calibration graph could be
plotted of absorbance against glucose concentration and used to determine glucose concentrations of
other solutions.
i 10%, 5%, 2.5%, 1.25%, 0.625%, 0.3125%

Practical Investigation 2.3: Using a semi-quantitative

iodine test to compare the starch content of
bananas
Learning outcome: 2.1.1

Skills focus
The following skills are developed and practised (see the skills grids at the front of this guide):
MMO Making decisions about measurements: (c)
Successfully collecting data and observations: (a), (e)

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PDO Recording data and observations: (a), (b), (d)

Layout of data or observations: (i)
ACE Interpreting data or observations and identifying sources of error: (c), (d), (g), (i)
Drawing conclusions: (a), (b)
Suggesting improvements or modifications to extend an investigation: (a), (b), (c), (d), (e)

Duration
The work should take approximately 1 h to complete. It is easier to complete within the time period if students
work in pairs.

Preparing for the investigation

• Students should understand how to make solutions of different concentrations from stocks by using
proportional and serial dilutions. This practical asks students to plan their own dilutions – these should be
checked before they start the practical.
• The practical requires the sourcing of bananas that are as green as possible. If very green bananas are not
available, plantains may be used. Ripe, yellow bananas are needed. Black, over-ripe bananas should be
prepared in advance.
• Students should understand that unripe bananas contain large quantities of starch which is then gradually
converted to sucrose, glucose and fructose as the bananas ripen.
• The practical could be modified to compare different fruit and vegetables such as new or old potatoes, sweet
potatoes, apples, etc.

You will need

Each student or group will need:

Equipment
• nine test tubes • knife or scalpel
• test-tube racks • Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze, heat-proof tile
• iodine solution in a dropper bottle (alternatively, whole class thermostatically
controlled water baths may be used set to
• 1% starch solution, 50 cm3
85 °C)
• distilled water, 100 cm3
• test-tube holder
• pipettes, 10 cm3, 1 cm3, pipette filler (if pipettes
• glass beakers, 500 cm3 and 50 cm3
are not available, small measuring cylinders or
syringes may be used) • spatula
• pieces of banana flesh from green, yellow and
black bananas

Safety considerations
• Students should have read the Safety guidance section in the Practical Workbook before carrying out this
investigation.
• Standard laboratory safety procedures should be followed always.
• Iodine solution should not be poured into natural water as it is harmful to aquatic organisms.

Carrying out the investigation

• Students will need support in working out the dilutions. They should show these to the teacher before they
start to make them.

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• Students may need support in determining the differences in colour intensity.

• The starch concentrations in the different bananas may be variable and, depending on the banana, may not
yield the predicted differences.
• The banana extract may need diluting with distilled water if it is too concentrated. This should be discussed
when determining the actual starch concentration.
Help should be provided for any students with physical disabilities in the laboratory when using boiling
water baths. It is good practice to not sit down in the event of boiling water being spilled. Where this is not
possible (e.g. with wheelchair users), alternative provision such as thermostatically controlled water baths
can be used.
Students with dyspraxia may need support when cutting up the banana pieces.
Students with visual impairments may need support when comparing the colours of different solutions.
As extension work, other fruits and vegetables could be tested. Students could also predict how the
water potential of the banana would change as starch is converted to sucrose. They could plan a further
experiment to estimate how water potential changes with ripeness of bananas.

Sample results
See Table 2.4.

Test tube number Concentration of starch / % Colour of iodine solution

1 1 black
2 0.1 dark blue
3 0.01 pale blue
4 0.001 very pale blue
5 0.0001 orange
Table 2.4

The colour of the iodine solution with each of the bananas was:
green: dark blue
yellow: pale blue–blue
black: orange–very pale blue.

Answers:
Answers to the workbook questions (using the sample results)
a The approximate starch concentrations may be very variable and will depend very much on the bananas the
students use.
For example:
• green (unripe): concentration: 0.5%; range: >0.1–1%
• yellow (ripe): concentration: 0.005%; range: 0.01–0.1%
• black (overripe): concentration: 0.0005%; range: 0.0001–0.001%.
b As bananas ripen, the starch is hydrolysed into glucose. Some of this is converted into other sugars such as
fructose and sucrose.
c The estimated ranges of starch concentrations are very high so no differences would be detected when for
example, starch concentrations of 0.1 and 0.5% are tested. This could be improved by using a colorimeter to
produce a calibration curve with known standards (this could be demonstrated to students).

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d Limitations:
• lack of sensitivity at low concentrations of starch
• difficult to detect differences in intensity of colour at higher concentrations of starch
• it is highly subjective due to use of human eye (lack of precision)
• the estimated ranges are very high and so inaccurate
• the banana extracts may not have solubilised all the starch
• sections of a banana may have different starch concentrations
• the investigation is unreliable as only one banana of each type was used.

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