Cellular Respiration - Fermentation of Corn and Malt Extracts

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Cellular Respiration – Fermentation of Corn and Malt Extracts

Kevin Osemene

Abstract

        The fermentation rates of two extracts, which are ideal for fermentation, were evaluated. Six pairs of test tubes were setup (3 for malt, 3 for corn syrup) in a proper fermentation setup and the carbon dioxide amount was recorded on a 5 minute basis for 30 minutes. It was found that the greater yeast concentration yielded the greater carbon dioxide readings. The control tubes had no yeast in the tubes and yielded no carbon dioxide results. Since yeast is a single-celled fungi that specializes in converting the glucose into the three components (ATP, carbon dioxide, ethanol), it is the main factor behind the results we see. The corn syrup is concentrated with sucrose and fructose and they come together to form glucose. Maltose is a chain of double glucose molecules and that probably explains the results being twice as high than that of corn syrup.

Introduction

        During photosynthesis, plants obtain the light energy and use it to make monosaccharide sugar glucose. This glucose is transformed into sucrose and then taken to other parts of the plant cell. The energy that glucose stores cannot be accessed readily by the cell. The process of cellular respiration transfers the energy stored in glucose bonds to bonds in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) so that it can be used more easily by the cell. As many as 38 ATP molecules can be generated by glucose through cellular respiration (Kenyon 141). Our goal was to consider one method by which cells make ATP using energy that comes from breaking down the chemical bonds in glucose. That method is called Alcoholic Fermentation and is a type of metabolic pathway.

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        Alcoholic fermentation is a metabolic pathway primarily used by yeasts and some bacteria (Kenyon 142). In it, glucose forms three products: Ethyl alcohol (ethanol), carbon dioxide and ATP. This process is enzyme catalyzed and so the outcome can be dependent on any of the three factors that affect enzyme activity.

        The purpose of the experiment was to measure the fermentation rates of a malt extract and compare this with the rates of the highly concentrated corn syrup. The experiment calls for use of a single-celled fungus that contains is capable of breaking down glucose by alcoholic fermentation (yeast). In the ...

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