UNIVERSITY OF BAGUIO- SCHOOL OF NURSING

Name:____________________________________________________________ Score:____________ Group

No. and Schedule:_____________________________________________ Date:_____________

Activity No. 4
REDUCING PROPERTIES OF SUGARS

I. OBJECTIVE
The students are expected to discover and analyse which of the given monosaccharides and
disaccharides possess reducing properties.

II. DISCUSSION
Many sugars reduce alkaline solutions of certain metal oxides due to the presence of potentially free
active carbonyl group. All monosaccharides whether they are aldehyde sugars (like aldoses) or ketone sugars
(like ketoses) and all disaccharides with exception of sucrose can reduce mild oxidizing agents. All sugars with a
free active carbonyl are known as reducing sugars.

III. MATERIALS
Pencil, pen, medical-surgical book. Biochemistry books

IV. QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

A. SCORING RUBRIC
5 POINTS FOR EACH 5 OUTSTANDING; no mistakes identified
QUESTION
4 EXCELLENT; 2 mistakes or missing concepts identified

3 GOOD; 3 mistakes or missing concepts identified

2 FAIR; 4 mistakes or missing concepts identified

1 POOR;5 mistakes or missing concepts is identified

0 The answer is totally different from the expected response

B. ACTIVITY
1. Which is the better reagent for clinical tests for reducing sugars? Why? Explain briefly.

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What is a reducing sugar?

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What is Fehling’s test?

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UNIVERSITY OF BAGUIO- SCHOOL OF NURSING

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What is Barfoed’s Test?

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What is Benedict’s test?

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4. What is Tollen’s test? What is the other name of this test? How is it similar with Barfoed’s test?

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_ Enumerate their differences and explain

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BIOCHEMISTRY MANUAL 19 | Page

UNIVERSITY OF BAGUIO- SCHOOL OF NURSING

5. What is an invert sugar?

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6. Why is the hydrolysis of sucrose called inversion?

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7. If a person wants to lose weight, is it advisable to totally eliminate sugar in your dietary intake? Why?

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8. Use structural formula to illustrate the chemical equation for the hydrolysis of:
a. Sucrose
b. Lactose
c. Maltose
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UNIVERSITY OF BAGUIO- SCHOOL OF NURSING

10 points for tabulated 10 Outstanding= no mistakes identified
answer
8 Excellent= 2 mistakes or missing concepts identified

6 Good= 3 mistakes or missing concepts identified

4 Fair= 4 mistakes or missing concepts identified

2 Poor= 5 mistakes or missing concepts identified

0 The answer is totally different from the expected

9. Compare sucrose and invert sugar as to their relative sweetness, reducing property, Seliwanoff’s test
and optical property. Tabulate your answer.
Sucrose Invert sugar

Sweetness

Reducing property

Seliwanoff’s test
 Optical property

BIOCHEMISTRY MANUAL 21 | Page

UNIVERSITY OF BAGUIO- SCHOOL OF NURSING 10. Compare the following in terms of signs
and symptoms, nursing management
Hypoglycaemia Hyperglycemia

Signs and symptoms

Nursing management

BIOCHEMISTRY MANUAL 22 | Page