Macromolecule Lab

For this project we tested different foods for what macromolecules they have. My group tested jelly beans and a protein bar. You had to add water to your food and mash it up in a bowl. We tested these foods for 3 macromolecules, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids(fat). We used to different indicators like Benedict's solution, Biuret's reagent, and Lugol's iodine to test with the food. We were looking to see if there was a positive or negative test result which we could determine by the color of the liquid.

Before doing any of the experiments we made a hypothesis for each food and guessed which macromolecules would be in them. We thought that jelly beans would test positive for lipids(fat). We thought the protein bar would test positive for protein and carbs. Our jelly bean hypothesis was wrong as they tested positive for carbs, not fat. Our protein bar hypothesis was partially correct as protein tested positive for both protein and carbs but also for fat. After finishing these experiments we created a data table and wrote a CLEAR paragraph and those will be posted below.

Biology Concepts:

Macromolecule: A molecule that is made up of monomers. They each have a unique structure and function. Examples are proteins, carbs, lipids, and nucleic acids. The whole lab was based on finding what macromolecules were in certain foods.

Monomer: Atoms or small molecules that bond together to form polymers, which make up macromolecules. Examples : sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, and nucleotides.

Carbohydrates: Made up of monosaccharides(simple sugars). They are the main source of energy for humans. There was carbohydrates in both foods we tested in the lab. Examples of carbohydrates are glucose and starch.

Proteins: Made up of amino acids. They store energy, help with transportation in the body, and regulate the body's organs and tissues. Proteins were found in the protein bar obviously. Examples of proteins are meats, dairy, and beans.

Lipids: Made up of fatty acids and glycerol. Lipids store energy, from cell membranes, and they insulate the body. We found lipids(fat) in the protein bar that we tested. Examples of lipids are oil, wax, and some vitamins.

Nucleic Acids : Made up of nucleotides. Nucleic acids carry the genetic information that makes proteins. Examples of nucleic acids are DNA and RNA.

Reflection:

For this being the first project/lab in this class I feel like it went very well. One thing I did well was contributing a lot to the group. I ran a lot of the experiments and helped my group when needed. Another thing I did well was managing time. I made sure that we finished our experiments on time. We were behind at some points and I told my group to go a little quicker so we could get all of the information that we needed. One thing I could of done better was being more of a leader. When we were getting off task we could of used someone to get us back on track. Another thing I could improve on is staying focused at all times. There was a lot going on at once and I would sometimes get distracted. I need to start only focusing on what my group is doing.

One of the 6 C's that I demonstrated was critical thinking. There was many different indicators and experiments to run and we got them all done. It was very specific what we had to and we did it well for the most part. Another one of the 6 C's I demonstrated was communication. In this project you always had to be talking and sharing data. We had to tell each other what indicators to use for certain tests. As a group we all showed good communication.