Benedict’s Test for Simple Carbohydrates Virtual Lab

This short, targeted simulation is adapted from the full-length “Introduction to Food Macromolecules” simulation.

Discover the simple carbohydrates in your food! In this simulation, you will be introduced to the chemical structures of simple carbohydrates and the importance of simple carbohydrates within our diets. Begin by examining their structure and then learn how to test for the presence of simple sugars in food samples using Benedict's test.

Jump into the food sample

Begin by jumping inside a bottle of syrup to initiate an animation that explains the chemical building blocks that make up simple sugars. Identify the difference between aldose and ketose sugars. Learn about the linear and ring forms of monosaccharides, such as glucose and fructose, and find out how the linear form can change into ring form and vice versa. Discover how a glycosidic bond can form between two monosaccharides to make a disaccharide, such as lactose and sucrose. Finally, return to the lab to perform an experiment which will test for the presence of these simple sugars.

Use Benedict's test

You will assay food samples using Benedict’s test for simple carbohydrates. A range of food samples have been prepared and their respective solution placed in a test tube. Perform the test for each food sample and observe the color change over time. Identify the positive and negative result for the test. Then use what you have learnt to determine which food samples contain simple carbohydrates. Does your friend's salad contain simple carbohydrates?

Review your knowledge

Put your knowledge of simple carbohydrates to the test in quizzes throughout the simulation. Can you spot the differences and similarities between a variety of simple carbohydrates?