Primary Products of

Photosynthesis
Group 2 BS Pharmacy
David.Evangelista.Miranda.Villacruz
Lipids and Fatty Acids
Exercise 4C
Introduction
 Objective

• to determine the presence of lipids in various substances, such as

peanut, vegetable oil, corn oil, cocoa powder, and coconut meat,
using the Grease Spot Experiment
 What is a grease spot test?

• A grease spot experiment is a test that would determine the

presence of a lipid in a substance by leaving a translucent spot or
“grease spot” on a piece of paper
Materials and Methodology
 Materials
• Peanut seed Cocoa Powder
 Materials
• Vegetable oil Corn oil
 Materials
• Coconut meat water, filter paper, alcohol lamp
Methodology
Get a 10x10cm filter
paper

Create 5 corners

Rub peanut seed on

one corner
Methodology
Rub coconut meat on
another corner

Rub cocoa powder on

the next corner

Put a drop of corn oil

onto the next
Methodology
Put a drop of vegetable
oil on the last corner

Lastly, put a drop of

water on the center of
the paper

Hold the paper over a

flame for a few
seconds.
Methodology
DO NOT BURN THE
PAPER!

Observe.

If it is a grease spot,
the spot will spread and
remain. If it is a wet
spot, it will dry out and
disappear.
This……
Then this…
Results
 Sample Before being After being Grease Spot result
exposing to heat exposed to heat
Corn oil Very visible liquid Did not evaporate Positive
spot
Vegetable oil Very visible liquid Did not evaporate Positive
spot
Coconut meat Slightly visible Did not evaporate Positive
liquid spot
Cocoa powder Slightly visible Did not evaporate Positive
liquid spot
Peanut Slightly visible Did not evaporate Positive
liquid spot
Water Very visible liquid Totally evaporated Negative
spot
Group Coconut Cocoa Vegetable
Peanut Corn oil Water
meat powder oil

Negative
1 Positive Positive Positive Positive Positive

2 Positive Positive Positive Positive Positive Negative

3 Positive Positive Positive Positive Positive Negative

4 Positive Positive Positive Positive Positive Negative

Discussion
 Discussion
• The Grease spot test is a very effective way of knowing whether various of
seeds: vegetable oil, peanut, coconut meat, corn oil, and cocoa powder
contain fatty acids. The spots that remained and spread proved that the above
mentioned substances contained fatty acids.
 Discussion

• Now, why did water evaporated but oil did not?

 Discussion
• When the water was heated, it eventually evaporated due to the great kinetic
energy of its molecules causing its bonds, that hold them in place as a liquid,
to break afterwards. The molecules then escape from the liquid state into the
surrounding medium as a free gas molecule.
 Discussion
• WHILE oils are lipids. One class of lipids are Phospholipids. The structure of
the phospholipid molecule generally consists of two hydrophobic fatty acid
"tails" and a hydrophilic "head" consisting a phosphate group.
 Discussion
• They have large molecules where the long chains have kinks or bends in
them. Now when it is heated the long chains rub against and tangle with the
other long chains on nearby molecules making it more difficult for the
molecules to move about than in the case of the water molecules which
results to a higher melting point of lipids than water.
• Their molecules are so large and strongly attached to one another it takes more energy to get
them to leave the liquid state and become a gas. Oils and fats do not evaporate as
easily as small molecules like water.
 References
Committee on Biology 20 Laboratory Manual. Biology 20:
Elementary Botany.
http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=1182
http://kitchenscience.sci-toys.com/fats
http://www.lungtp.com/biochem/e_bcdxb.html
Thank You!