Density: Sugar Content of Beverages

Introduction:

Have you ever been to the ocean? Does it seem that you can
float or swim much easier in the ocean than in a swimming pool?
Seawater is more dense than freshwater due to the presence of
dissolved salt in the ocean. As a result, our ability to float is greater in
saltwater than in plain water. Sugar water is also more dense than just
water for the same reason.
Density is defined as the ratio of mass per unit volume. Density is
calculated by dividing the mass of a sample by its volume:
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 (𝐷)
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 =
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 (𝐷𝐷)
The density of a solution depends on the concentration of the solute. A convenient way to
report this is as percent concentration by mass:
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 𝐷𝐷 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 (𝐷)
% 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 =
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 (𝐷𝐷)
You will be determining the density of various sugar/water mixtures, and using this data to
make a calibration curve. Using this information, you will find the density of two drinks.

Prelab:

1. Make a prediction of the relative sugar contents of the beverages you will be testing. These
drinks include: Sunny D, Powerade, Sprite, Capri Sun, and Snapple.
2. Our prediction is 20% 7% 15% 5% 10%

Procedure:

Part A: Standard solutions

1. Place an empty condiment cup on the balance and hit the “tare” or “zero” button. The scale
should read 0.00 g.
2. Using a graduated cylinder, obtain 10.0 mL of 0% sugar solution (water) and transfer the
liquid to the cup. Record the mass of the solution.
3. Pour the solution down the drain. Rinse and dry the condiment cup for the next sample.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 with the 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% sugar solutions. Don’t forget to rezero
the balance prior to each new mass measurement.
5. Calculate the density of each solution and record the value.

Part B: Beverage Densities

6. Use the procedure in Part A to determine the density of other beverages of your choice.
7. Calculate the densities of each drink.
Data:

% Volume of Mass of Density of

Concentration solution solution Solution
0.00 10.0 mL 7.76 0.776
5.00 10.0 mL 9.82 0.982

10.00 10.0 mL 9.42 0.942

15.00 10.0 mL 9.76 0.976

20.00 10.0 mL 9.72 0.972

Beverage Volume of Mass of Density of

solution solution Solution
Sunny D 10.0 mL 10.23 1.023

Capri Sun 10.0 mL 7.4 .74

(apple)
Powerade 10.0 mL 9.37 .937

Snapple 10.0 mL 10.31 1.031

Sprite 10.0 mL 7.23 .723

Analysis:
Graph: Transfers Data into an appropriate Graph or Chart

0 1 2 3

Does not meet Data is collected in an Uses appropriate graph Plots points, draws appropriate trend
expectations appropriate table AND correctly labels x- line, and describes the trend in a set
and y-axes (including of data
units)
E.g.: As (independent variable)
increases, (dependent variable) ...

1. Make a graph of your known 5 concentrations (not beverage) data using the online
website http://www.onlinecharttool.com/graph. Your graph should show the
concentration and density of your 5 sugar mixtures. To make the graph, do the
following:
 a. Go to the tool, and select the appropriate graph type on your graph type options.
(Think: when do you use a bar graph? When do you use an x/y scatter?) Click
“next” on the bottom right.
b. Give your graph an appropriate title and label your x- and y-axes. (Think: which is
your independent variable? Which is your dependent variable? What units were
these measured in?)
c. You have 5 items of data in 1 data set. Select those options. Click on “Click for
more design options.” By “trendline”, select yes.
d. Enter your data points. Click “next”.
e. Click “next” again.
f. Double check your graph and make sure it looks okay. If it’s okay, click “next”.
g. Select the option to “download chart as jpg”.
h. Insert the chart here by selecting “insert” in this document, then select “image”
and then “upload image”. Find the image in your downloads folder.

2. Why is it best to draw a best-fit line, rather than simply connecting the dots?

Because then it shows the average between all the data points instead of just showing a
line in between all the data points.

3. Describe the relationship between concentration of sugar and density using your data or
your graph.

The concentration of sugar compared to the density should have a positive correlation
but in our experiment we messed up and accidentally used two different weights of graduated
cylinders so the mass and the density is messed up and you can not see any correlation within
our data.
Evidence: Justify Claims with Evidence

0 1 2 3

Does not meet Organizes data in Summarizes trends in data Supports conclusions with
expectations an appropriate chart and draws appropriate, but appropriate & specific evidence AND
or graph vague conclusions accounts for deviations in data
(sources of error)

4. Use the graph to estimate the unknown sugar concentration in the other beverages.

Concentration of drink
Justify your claim of the concentration of the drink by
Beverage (from graph)
referring to appropriate evidence.
-Claim
Sunny D 1.023
 Capri Sun

Powerade

Snapple

Sprite

5. Compare your results to your predictions. How well did you do?

6. Your teacher wrote the % concentrations for each of the beverages as found on the
label of each beverage. How do your values compare (close, really far apart, etc.)?
Why might yours be higher or lower than what the labels claimed?

Application: Apply scientific principles to a wide variety of industrial and/or real-life

applications.

0 1 2 3

Does not meet Vaguely describes Clearly describes Clearly describes applicable
expectations applicable chemistry applicable chemistry chemistry concept AND specific
concept (uses big terms concept, but vague examples of how it applies to
without explanation or application industrial or real-life
some inaccuracies in applications
description)

In a well-written paragraph summarize your experiences with your lab. What was the purpose
of the lab? Why is this important? How did you achieve this purpose? What have you learned
about how science works? About how we work with data? Did you notice anything interesting
while doing the lab? Any connections to something you already know about? Where else do
we use the ideas or concepts covered in this lab? Support your thoughts with at least 3 specific
examples from your data. (The following template may help to complete your reflection, if
needed.)
To conclude this experiment, we have learned from other experiments that the water
has a positive correlation between the amount of sugar water to the density of the sugar and
water as a whole. Sadly we could not prove this with our own experiment because we messed
up with the different weights of graduated cylinders as stated in previous questions. But we
have learned a better way to complete this experiment is too have the two different people
start with the beverages and the sugar water and use the two different beakers and make sure
that they stay separated from one another as to not mix up or confuse them.

My Opinion:

Fact or example:

Fact or example:

Fact or example:

Grammar: Use appropriate grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary to communicate

scientific ideas. Make lab report easy to be graded.

0 1 2 3

-Answers are typed in Two of the following are One of the following is -Answers are all typed in
black NOT followed: NOT followed: red (or other dark non-black
color);
-No attention is given to -Answers are typed in red -Answers are typed in red
appropriate (or other dark non-black (or other dark non-black -Sentences and proper
capitalization color); color); nouns are capitalized;

-No attention is given to -Sentences and proper -Sentences and proper -Appropriate punctuation
appropriate punctuation nouns are capitalized; nouns are capitalized; marks are used;
marks
-Appropriate punctuation -Appropriate punctuation -Applicable vocabulary terms
marks are used; marks are used; are used correctly