Exercise 17

Fermentation of Sucrose
Fermentation is the process by which sugar is converted by enzymes to ethanol and
carbon dioxide organic acids.
OBJECTIVES

To ferment sucrose
To observe reactions in the fermentation of sucrose

MATERIALS
250 ml Erlenmeyer flask
Stirring rod
Iron stand
Pasteur salt

w/ one hole rubber tubing

glass tubing
sucrose
dry yeast

test tube
iron clamp
distilled H2O
lime water

PROCEDURE
1) Place 20 g of sucrose in a 250 ml erlenmeyer flask along with 75 ml of distilled water.
Stir for a few minutes
2) After stirring, add 100 ml of distilled water and 1.5 grams of dry yeast. Stir long enough
for the sugar and the yeast to dissolve.
3) Add 17 ml Pasteur salt solution and swirl gently. Make sure the contents are thouroughly
mixed by swirling the flask periodically as you continue.
4) Fit the flask with one-hole rubber stopper equipped with a short length of glass tubing to
which is attached a length of rubber tubbing.
5) Fit the other end of the rubber tubing with an eight inch length of glass tubing.
6) Insert this into a six inch test tube that is clamped in a vertical position.
7) Add saturated lime water to this test tube to a dept of 1 inch
Assuming your apparatus does not have a leak, this configuration will be air tight. The
evolution of carbon dioxide will drive out the residual air that is in the apparatus, and the test
tube bubbler will ensure that no oxygen will diffuse back into the fermentation flask. The
appearance of bubbles, and the formation of white precipitate of calcium carbonate, serves as
evidence that a reaction is really taking place. Let this apparatus sit undisturbed for 1 week.
Bubbles should appear before you leave this lab. If they do not, probably has a leak
between the rubber tubing and the glass tubing.