Chemistry of Life

1988 WWF Chemistry Institute Participants

Salivary Amylase and Starch Digestion

The ability of the enzyme amylase, found in human saliva, to hydrolyze or break down starch molecules will be studied in various pH solutions.

The Cat's Meow

Food coloring is placed in milk, then detergent is added to illustrate the dramatic interactions between molecules at the surface of a liquid.

Experiment: The System

An open-ended experiment where students use the scientific method to determine the behavior of the methylene blue bottle reaction.

Comparison of the Effects of Inorganic Catalysts and Enzymes on Peroxide Decomposition

This experiment compares inorganic catalysts and enzymes in terms of their effect on the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

Demonstration: The Photochemical Reduction of Thionine

The color of a solution of thionine turns from purple to colorless within a few seconds when exposed to bright light. The purple color is restored when the light source is removed. By adding various reactants to this complex, redox equilibrium, the rates at which the color changes occur can be studied.

Demonstration: Gummy Bear Sacrifice

This demonstration illustrates the vast amount of energy which is available from the oxidation of carbohydrates, such as sugar. An excess of oxygen, generated by the decomposition of sodium chlorate, will react with a gummy bear, releasing a large amount of energy quickly and dramatically.

Experiment: Heat Content of Snack Foods

In this experiment, the student will burn several types of nuts and snack foods in order to determine their heat content per gram.

Experiment: Solubility and the Percent of Oil in Peanuts

In this experiment, the student will determine the solubility of a variety of solutes in several solvents. The observed solubility will be related to the structure and intermolecular forces of both the solute and solvent. On the basis of these tests, they will then devise and carry out an experimental method for the determination of the percent oil in peanuts.

(to be continued...)

Acknowledgments

	This program was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant TEI-8550891.
Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the contributing organizations.

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