PhysioEx Lab Report

Exercise 8: Chemical and Physical Processes of Digestion

Pre-lab Quiz Results

1 Which of the following is true of enzymes and substrates?

You correctly answered: Enzymes are specific about the substrates they can act
upon.

2 Which of the following is/are reducing sugars?

You correctly answered: both glucose and maltose .

3 Cellulose and starch are both

You correctly answered: polymers of glucose and polysaccharides.

4 Proteins and peptides are formed by joining amino acids with a special type of
covalent bond called a peptide bond. Which of the following enzymes do you think
would be specific for a peptide bond?

You correctly answered: peptidase.

5 The Benedict's assay tests for the presence of

You correctly answered: reducing sugar.

Experiment Results
Predict Question

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 1 Predict Question: Do you think test tube 3 (amylase, cellulose, pH 7.0 buffer) will
show a positive Benedict's test?

Your answer: no.

Stop & Think Questions

You correctly answered: see what a positive Benedict's test should look like.

2 Which tube is included to detect contaminating amylase in the buffer or in

You correctly answered: None of the above.

3 What is the usual substrate for the pancreatic enzyme peptidase?

You correctly answered: peptides.

Experiment Data
Tube No. Reagent Reagent Reagent Time Temp IKI Benedict's
1 2 3 (min) (°C)
pH 7.0
1 Amylase Starch 60 37 - ++
Buffer
pH 7.0
2 Amylase Glucose 60 37 - ++
Buffer
pH 7.0
3 Amylase Cellulose 60 37 - -
Buffer
pH 7.0 Deionized
4 Cellulose 60 37 - -
Buffer Water
pH 7.0
5 Peptidase Starch 60 37 + -
Buffer
pH 7.0
6 Bacteria Cellulose 60 37 - ++
Buffer

Post-lab Quiz Results

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 You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1 The substrate(s) for amylase is/are

You correctly answered: starch.

2 The results of tube 5 (peptidase, starch, pH 7.0 buffer) demonstrated that

You correctly answered: peptidase does not digest starch.

3 Why was the cellulose in tube 6 (bacteria, cellulose, pH 7.0 buffer) hydrolyzed to
glucose?

You correctly answered: The bacterial suspension contained the enzyme cellulase,
which digested the cellulose.

4 Which tube allows you to conclude that the buffer was not contaminated with
amylase?

You correctly answered: tube 5 (peptidase, starch, pH 7.0 buffer).

Review Sheet Results

Your answer:

Both tubes show a negative IKI test and a positive Benedict’s test (++), indicating
the presence of reducing sugars. This is because amylase breaks down starch into
maltose, which reacts with Benedict’s reagent similarly to glucose. Since Tube 2
already contains glucose, no breakdown is needed, resulting in the same
Benedict’s test result.

2 Describe the result in tube 3 (amylase, cellulose, pH 7.0 buffer). How well did the
results compare with your prediction?

Your answer:

There is no positive Benedict’s test, confirming that amylase did not break down

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 cellulose. This aligns with my prediction since amylase specifically hydrolyzes
starch, not cellulose.

3 Describe the usual substrate for peptidase.

Your answer:

Peptidase enzymes typically break down proteins into amino acids by hydrolyzing
peptide bonds. Starch is not a protein, so peptidase does not act on it, explaining
the positive IKI test in Tube 5.

4 Explain how bacteria can aid in digestion.

Your answer:

Bacteria in the gut help break down complex carbohydrates, like cellulose, that
human digestive enzymes cannot process. They produce specialized enzymes
(e.g., cellulase) that ferment fiber into short-chain fatty acids, providing energy and
promoting gut health.

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