Beet Lab: Stressing Membranes

Stressing Membranes: Beet Lab

This graph depicts the colorimeter values obtained for samples of beet cores from each of the different test tubes measured at different temperatures. Tube 1 was at -5C, Tube 2 was at 5C, Tube 3 was at 20C, Tube 4 was at 40C, Tube 5 was at 55C,and Tube 6 was at 70C. The three sets of averages measured followed a similar curve, starting slowly, rising and remaining constant, and then dropping down, but above the initial values. The colorimeter indicated how much pigment was present in the 10mL buffer water the core was kept in, and the lower the value the more betacyanin was released from ruptured cells. The frozen core was the lowest value, while the moderate temperatures showed around little to no release of pigment. The highest temperature, at 70C, was heavily affected as well.

This graph depicts the colorimeter results of the water the beet core was stored in after being treated to various concentrations of acid solvent.

Human

Cell Membrane

Bowl o' beet greens

Concentrations of 100%, 50%, 25%, and 1% were added to the beet core test tubes to measure the degree of damage to the cell membrane and the amount of betacyanin that was released from the cell. Tubes 1-4 show methyl 100-1% concentration values, Tube 5 shows distilled water, Tubes 6-9 show ethyl, Tubes 10-13 show propyl, Tubes 14-17 show butyl, and Tubes 18-21 show acetone in order from 100% to 1% respectively. Butyl was the minimum possible, followed by acetone, while methyl and propyl were the least affected.

Discussion

This lab demonstrated the effects of different temperatures and pH acid concentrations on beet cells. The results we obtained were somewhat faulty or presented errors, but outliers were removed and thus a relatively expected, average trend was shown for each variable tested, and the given...