Effects of Heat on Vitamin C in Tomatoes

The Objective : Vitamin C is an important vitamin, and tomatoes are a good source of Vitamin C. Most tomato products we consume
have been processed by heat, and I wanted to discover if cooking altered the level of Vitamin C. My goal was to determine if heating the
tomatoes to three different temperatures affects the level of Vitamin C. My hypothesis is that the Vitamin C content of tomatoes will
decrease when heated because Vitamin C is water soluble and is affected by heat.
Methods/Materials
I used titration to test my hypothesis. The Vitamin C in the tomatoes is the titrant, and iodine is the titrating solution. I made a tomato
solution by blending store-bought red tomatoes with 200mL of distilled water.
I filtered the solution to remove seeds. A 10mL sample was removed and set aside as the control.
The Vitamin C from this sample is the dependent variable. The remaining tomato solution was heated on a gas stove, and three 10mL
samples were taken at three different temperatures, 50C, 75C, and 98C (independent variable).
While the samples cooled to a standard temperature of 17C, I prepared a starch solution (1T cornstarch and 200mL distilled water).
Ten drops of the starch solution were added to each of the four samples.
I then added the titrating solution, iodine (Iodine Tincture USP) one drop at a time to the samples and recorded the number of drops
necessary to change the pink colored tomato/starch solution to a blue/black color.
The results were charted, and compared on a graph. I repeated this procedure a total of three times.
Results
The presence of Vitamin C in a fresh tomato solution declined after it was heated.
In the first trial, my uncooked sample needed five drops of iodine to change color, while the other three samples needed 20% less solution
(four drops).
Trial Two started with six drops for the Control and concluded with four drops for the 98C sample.
The final trial gave the clearest results--the Control required seven iodine drops to change to blue/black and the 98C sample only required
four drops (43% less).
Conclusions/Discussion
This experiment showed that Vitamin C in a tomato can decrease due to heat. Heat causes the Vitamin C content in tomatoes to decrease
by decomposing the water-soluble vitamin. Tomatoes that are cooked will have less Vitamin C than raw tomatoes. If you want the most
Vitamin C from a tomato--EAT FRESH!
This project will be investigating that Vitamin C in raw red tomatoes is reduced by heat.

How Does Saltwater Mix in an Estuary

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Source: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Topics: High School, Middle School, Ecology

Purpose
To determine the average and individual concentrations of salt found in water from various points along an estuary by
analyzing the color, density, and residue of the water.

Materials Needed

2-quart (-liter) samples of estuary water from seven locations along an estuary

250-ml beaker

14 test tubes

4-quart (-liter) sample of fresh river water (or substitute distilled water)

4-quart (-liter) sample of saltwater

Metric graduated cylinder

15 plastic cups

Balance scale

Experiment
Three different tests will be used to analyze estuary water. The first test will focus on color variations to distinguish the
saltwater from the river water. The second will measure the density of the estuary water to determine the amount of saltwater
from the sea that has been mixed in. The third test will measure the residual percentage of salt after the water has evaporated.

Procedure
Test ATo determine visually the average amount of saltwater present within samples from various locations along an estuary.
1.

Boil the seven 2-quart (-liter) samples of estuary water separately until each is reduced to 250 ml. Then fill seven test
tubes halfway with each of the concentrated samples.

2.

Next, make seven saltwater/fresh river water color reference samples in the other seven test tubes with which to
compare the concentrated estuary samples. Fill the first test tube halfway with 100% fresh river water, the second with
80% fresh river water and 20% saltwater, the third with 60% fresh river water and 40% saltwater, the fourth with 50%
fresh river water and 50% saltwater, the fifth with 40% fresh river water and 60% saltwater, the sixth with 20% fresh river
water and 80% saltwater, and the seventh with 100% saltwater (see diagram).

3.

Compare the colors of the samples of concentrated estuary water with the colors of the reference samples. For each
estuary sample, record the reference sample that most closely resembles it in color.

Test BTo determine the actual amount of saltwater mixed in by calculating the densities of the seven samples.
[(volume of x) (density of x)] + [(volume of y) (density of y)] = total volume density
1.
Using the graduated cylinder, measure 175 cc of each estuary sample into a plastic cup and weigh each cup separately
on the balance scale. Then subtract the cup's weight to obtain the mass of each sample.
2.

Find the density of each sample by dividing the mass by the volume. Then calculate the average density for all the
samples.

3.

Next, find the actual percentage of saltwater for each sample. Once you have determined the separate and combined
densities of the fresh water and saltwater in your sample and know the sample's total volume, the percentage of fresh
river water (x) and saltwater (y) can be calculated as follows:

Test CTo measure the residual percentage of salt in each sample.

1.
Pour the remaining estuary samples each into a separate plastic cup. Place another cup alongside and fill it with distilled
water until its volume is the same as each of the sample cups.
2.

Weigh the cup containing the distilled water on the balance scale and record its mass. Then, weigh both cups on the
balance scale and subtract the mass of the distilled water from the mass of the sample water. Repeat for each of the
samples and record your results.

Results
1.
2.

What were the levels of salt concentration among the samples? Were your color reference samples accurate as to the
salt concentrations in each sample?
Were the results from each of the three tests consistent for each water sample?

3.

Were the salinity levels consistent for all seven locations? If not, which location of the estuary had the highest level of
salinity? The least?

4.

Experiment with different estuaries. Are the salinity level distributions that you found in the original estuary comparable
to those of other estuaries?

This article is brought to you by:

The Magic Ketchup Experiment!

You can make a pack of ketchup float and sink
at your command while it's sealed inside a bottle!

* A 1 liter plastic bottle

* Ketchup pack from a fast food restaurant
* Salt (using Kosher salt helps keep the water from becoming
foggy)

1.

Remove any labels from the bottle and fill it all the way to the top with water.

2.

Add a ketchup pack to the bottle.

3.

If the ketchup floats, you're all set - go to step 4. If the ketchup sinks in the bottle, go to step 5.

4.

For the floating ketchup pack simply screw the cap on the bottle and squeeze the sides of the bottle
hard. If the ketchup sinks when you squeeze it, and floats when you release it, congratulations,
you're ready to show it off. If it does not sink when you squeeze it, try a different kind of ketchup
pack or try a mustard or soy sauce pack.

5.

If the ketchup pack sinks, add about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of salt to the bottle. Cap it and shake it
up until the salt dissolves. (Kosher salt will keep the water from getting too cloudy, although it will
usually clear up over time if using regular table salt.)

6.

Continue adding salt, a few tablespoons at a time until the ketchup is just barely floating to the top
of the bottle.

7.

Once it is consistently floating, make sure the bottle is filled to the top with water, and then cap it
tightly.

8.

Now squeeze the bottle. The magic ketchup should sink when you squeeze the bottle and float up
when you release it. With some practice you can get it to stop in the middle of the bottle.

This experiment is all about buoyancy and density. Buoyancy describes whether objects float or sink. This
usually describes how things float in liquids, but it can also describe how things float or sink in and various
gasses.
Density deals with the amount of mass an object has. Adding salt to the water adjusted the water's density
to get the ketchup to float. Sound complicated? It is, but here's the basics on the ketchup demo...there is a
little bubble inside of the ketchup packet. As we know bubbles float, and the bubble in the ketchup
sometimes keeps the heavy packet from sinking. When you squeeze the bottle hard enough, you put
pressure on the packet. That causes the bubble to get smaller and the entire packet to become MORE
DENSE than the water around it and the packet sinks. When you release the pressure, the bubble expands,
making the packet less dense (and more buoyant) and, alas, it floats back up. This demonstration is
sometimes known as a CARTESIAN DIVER.

The project above is a DEMONSTRATION. To make it a true experiment, you can try to answer these
questions:
1. Do different food packs (ketchup, mustard, soy sauce) have the same density?
2. Does the temperature of the water affect the density of the ketchup packet?
3. Does the size of the bottle affect how much you have to squeeze to get the packet to sink?

www.sciencebob.com

Rapid Color Changing Chemistry!

Sometimes its hard to tell SCIENCE from MAGIC - and this little demonstration is a great example of that.
In this experiment you will watch an almost clear liquid suddenly turn dark blue in a flash. It takes a bit of
preparation, and probably a trip to the pharmacy for materials, but we think its worth it.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: This experiment should only be done with the help of an
adult. Iodinewill stain just about anything it touches and it can be hazardous. Hydrogen peroxide can cause
eye and skin irritation - safety goggles are needed throughout the experiment. Be sure your helpful adult
reads the caution labels on each container.

3 clear plastic cups 4 ounces or larger

1.

Put on those safety goggles and mash the 1000 mg Vitamin C tablet by placing it into a plastic bag

A 1000 mg Vitamin C tablet from the pharmacy (you can also use two 500mg)
Tincture of iodine (2%) also from the pharmacy
Hydrogen peroxide (3%) yep, also from the pharmacy
Liquid laundry starch (see below for alternatives)
Safety goggles
Measuring spoons
Measuring cup
An adult helper

and crushing it with a rolling pin or the back of a large spoon. Get it into as much of a fine powder as
possible. Then put all the powder in the first cup and add 2 ounces (60 ml) of warm water. Stir for at
least 30 seconds. (The water may be a little cloudy) Lets call this LIQUID A
2.

Now put 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of your LIQUID A into a new cup and add to it: 2 oz (60 ml) of warm
water and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of the iodine. Notice the brown iodine turned clear! Lets call this
LIQUID B. By the way, youre done with LIQUID A - you can put it aside.

A packet of yeast (available in the grocery store)

1. Fill the bottle up with about one inch of warm water.

A small, clean, clear, plastic soda bottle (16 oz. or smaller)

1 teaspoon of sugar
Some warm water
A small balloon

( When yeast is cold or dry the micro organisms are resting.)

2. Add all of the yeast packet and gently swirl the bottle a few seconds.
(As the yeast dissolves, it becomes active - it comes to life! Don't bother looking for movement,
yeast is a microscopic fungus organism.)

3. Add the sugar and swirl it around some more.

Like people, yeast needs energy (food) to be active, so we will give it sugar. Now the yeast is
"eating!"

4. Blow up the balloon a few times to stretch it out then place the neck of the balloon over the neck
of the bottle.

5. Let the bottle sit in a warm place for about 20 minutes

If all goes well the balloon will begin to inflate!