Name

Section Instructor

Fermentation

Potential allergy alert: Latex balloons are

used in this activity.

OBJECTIVES

Place a check mark (✓) in the box in front of each item as you complete it.

❑❑ 1. I can describe how the process of fermentation can be observed in a living

organism.
❑❑ 2. I can describe the process of fermentation and describe how organisms use this
process to convert the energy of glucose to the energy of ATP.
❑❑ 3. I can use the scientific method to investigate a question.
❑❑ 4. Given a question, I can develop a hypothesis and a prediction of the results of
an experiment.
❑❑ 5. I can explain the function of controls in experimental design and recognize
the variables of an experiment.
❑❑ 6. I can follow an experimental procedure, record observations, and analyze col-
lected data.
❑❑ 7. I can interpret data and determine if they support the hypothesis.
❑❑ 8. I can construct a line graph of the class data to illustrate our experimental
results.
❑❑ 9. I can explain the effects of varying concentrations of fuel molecules on the rate
of fermentation.
❑❑ 10. I can compare fermentation and cellular respiration.

MATERIALS

1. Erlenmeyer flask
2. Plastic weigh boat
3. Electronic balance
4. Latex balloon
5. String
6. Meter stick
7. Graduated cylinder

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 Fermentation

Today’s experiment will explore alcohol fermentation. Specifically, we will look at the
effect of the amount of glucose on fermentation in yeast. How can we study fermenta-
tion? How can we know that fermentation has occurred? One way is to measure the
amount of fermentation products that are produced in a certain period of time. It is
difficult to measure the amount of alcohol produced by yeast, but we can easily measure
the amount of carbon dioxide produced because it is a gas. In today’s experiment, we
will capture the carbon dioxide gas in a balloon and use the circumference of the bal-
loon as a measure of the gas produced.

EXPERIMENTAL QUESTION

➤ Will the amount of glucose present during fermentation affect the amount of carbon
dioxide produced by yeast?

HYPOTHESIS
Select one:

❑ The amount of glucose present during fermentation will not have an effect on the
amount of carbon dioxide produced by yeast.

❑
✔ The amount of glucose present during fermentation will have an effect on the
amount of carbon dioxide produced by yeast, and an increase in the amount of
increase
glucose will cause a/an ____________________________________________ (decrease/
increase) in the amount of carbon dioxide produced.

PROCEDURE
Students work in groups of four.

1. Your instructor will assign each group a different letter. Circle your group letter in
Table 1. Write your group letter on your flask.

Table 1. 

Group Amount of Glucose

A 0 grams

B 0.2 grams

C 0.5 grams

D 1 gram

E 2 grams

F 3 grams

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Fermentation

2. Find the amount of glucose listed

for your group in Table 1. Use the
Balloon
balance to measure this amount of
glucose into your weigh boat (don’t
forget to zero the balance with the
empty weigh boat on it).
Glucose
+ yeast
3. Add the glucose to your Erlenmeyer + 40°C distilled water
©Hayden-McNeil, LLC
flask.

4. Rinse and completely dry your weigh boat.

5. Use the balance to measure 2 grams of yeast into your weigh boat (don’t forget to
zero the balance with the empty weigh boat on it).

6. Add the yeast to your Erlenmeyer flask.

7. Rinse and completely dry your weigh boat.

8. Use your graduated cylinder to measure 40 ml of 40ºC distilled water from the bottle
in the water bath.

9. Add the 40 ml of 40ºC distilled water to your Erlenmeyer flask.

10. Gently swirl your Erlenmeyer flask for 15 seconds to mix the ingredients.

11. Carefully place a balloon over the mouth of the Erlenmeyer flask so that the mouth
of the flask is completely covered by the mouth of the balloon. Make sure there is
no excess air in the balloon.

12. Wrap a piece of string snugly around the widest part of your balloon to measure
the balloon’s circumference. Make a mark on the string where the string overlaps
itself.

13. Take the string to the meter stick and measure the part of the string that was
wrapped around the balloon (the balloon’s circumference) in centimeters. Record
the starting circumference of the balloon in the appropriate spot in Table 2.

14. Record the start time below.

Start Time Stop Time

+ 40 minutes =

15. Add 40 minutes to your start time to determine the stop time. Record your stop
time above.

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 Fermentation

16. Place the fermentation flask in the 40°C water bath, without moving it, for 40 min-
utes. While you are waiting for your stop time, discuss the beauty of fermentation
with your lab partners and answer as many of the questions on the following pages
as you can.

17. Once your stop time is reached, wrap a piece of string snugly around the widest
part of your balloon to measure the balloon’s circumference. Place your finger on
the spot where the string overlaps itself.

18. Take the string to the meter stick and measure the part of the string that was wrapped
around the balloon (the balloon’s circumference) in centimeters. Record this final
circumference of the balloon in the appropriate spot in Table 2.

19. Calculate the change in circumference of the balloon by using the following
equation.

Change in circumference = Final circumference − starting circumference

20. Record the change in circumference in the appropriate spot in Table 2.

21. Share your data with the class. Copy the class results into Table 2.

22. Pour waste solutions down the drain. Thoroughly wash all glassware. Place used
balloons in the trash.

RESULTS

Table 2. 

Starting Final Change in

Amount of Circumference Circumference Circumference
Group
Glucose of Balloon of Balloon of Balloon
(in cm) (in cm) (in cm)

A 0 grams 3cm 3cm 0cm

B 0.2 grams 3cm 9cm 6cm

C 0.5 grams 3cm 14cm 11cm

D 1 gram 3cm 18cm 15cm

E 2 grams 3cm 18cm 15cm

F 3 grams 3cm 19cm 16cm

155
 Name

Section Instructor

amount of Glucose
Graph Title: The Effect of __________________________________________________________
(independent variable)
circumference of ballon
on _____________________________________________________________________________
(dependent variable)
Ballon circumference
Y-axis label:

Amount of Glucose
X-axis label:

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Fermentation

CONCLUSIONS

1. Look at the graph you made. What is the relationship between the amount of
glucose present during fermentation and the circumference of the balloon?
The higher amount of glucose present, the larger the circumference of the ballon

2. Look back at your hypothesis on page 153. Your hypothesis doesn’t say anything
about the change in circumference of the balloon. When you measure the change
in circumference of the balloon, what are you really measuring?
The amount of CO2 present

3. What is the relationship between the amount of glucose present during fermenta-
tion and the amount of CO2 produced?
The greater amount of glucose present leads to more CO2 produced

4. Do your results support your hypothesis?

Yes

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 Fermentation

QUESTIONS

1. What is the function of fermentation?

The main function of fermentation is to convert NADH to NAD+ so it can be used
for glycolysis

2. What type of fermentation—alcohol or lactic acid—are the yeast performing in

today’s lab?
The yeast is performing alcoholic fermentation

3. Look at the previous question. If the yeast were performing the other type of fer-
mentation, could you use today’s lab setup to measure it? Why or why not?
The lab's setup would not be able to measure the yeast if it was performing a
different type of fermentation since it lacks the proper equipment

4. What is the independent variable in today’s experiment?

Amount of Glucose

5. What is the dependent variable in today’s experiment?

Circumference of the ballon

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Fermentation

6. In today’s experiment, the conditions for every flask were supposed to be exactly
the same except for the amount of glucose included. Why is it so important that all
other conditions (like temperature of the water, amount of yeast, time, etc.) were
kept exactly the same?
It is done that way to ensure no other variables are affecting the expirement

7. What was the point of including a flask with no glucose in the experiment?
To act as a control

8. Imagine that you want to design an experiment in which you test the effects of
temperature on fermentation in yeast. Briefly describe how you would set up this
experiment using the same equipment we used.
I would place the flasks in different enviroments. For example, one in a freezer, or
one on a hotplate

9. Glucose is not the only source of energy around. Imagine that you want to test the
ability of yeast to use other fuel molecules for fermentation. Briefly describe how
you would set up this experiment using the same equipment we used.
I would have one flask of yeast that doesnt have any extra energy sources and I
would add different energy sources to different flasks to compare.

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 Fermentation

10. Use the Venn diagram below to compare and contrast cellular respiration and
fermentation. Put things that are true for both processes in the place where the
circles overlap. Put things unique to each process in the non-overlapping part of
the circle. Include at least two items in each area.

Cellular respiration Fermentation

Produces more ATP Produces less ATP

Both produce ATP

Produces energy by Uses glycolysis Produces energy by

breaking down food breaking down glucose

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