PROTEIN EXPERIMENT ⚛️

AIM: To test if a sample of food contains protein or not.
EQUIPMENT: Test tube, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), copper sulfate (CuSO4), food sample (eggs, milk).
METHOD: 
1. Place about 2mL of the sample into a test tube and add 5 drops of sodium hydroxide.
2. Add 5 drops of copper sulfate
3. Shake the test tube GENTLY from side to side, as opposed to up and down.
RESULTS: 
If the solution remains blue, then no protein is present. If the solution shifts to a purple colour then protein is present in the sample.
CONCLUSION: 
After shaking for about 2-3 minutes each time, for some unknown reason both our solutions remained blue instead of shifting to purple; this may have possibly been due to an incorrect ratio of NaOH to CuS04 or not enough of the food sample in the test tube.

1. Body builders try to eat a diet high in protein.Why do they do this?
To increase muscle mass and repair damaged tissue.

2. Name three types of food a body-builder should eat in order to consume a lot of protein.
a) Dairy
b) Red meat/poultry
c) Seafood

3. Explain why a test tube is shaken gently from side to side rather than up and down when completing an investigation like this one.
Because this ensures the solution is not accidentally spilled out of the test tube which could happen if it was shaken vigorously up and down.