Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi I have a few questions about my science project. I am testing the levels of Vitamn C in orange juice, habenero pepper juice, red bell pepper juice, and elongated red pepper juice. I have this project due very soon and I need to get an interview please read this questions and respond the best you can, even if the answer is short and vague. Thank you for your time and consideration-
Kayla (questions are as follows)
Why does idophenol react with vitamin C?
Does the color of a fruit or vegtable tell anything about the level of Vitamin C in it?
What in this project would help you in everyday life?
What exactly is Vitamin C and what does it contain?
What give Idophenol its blue color?
ANY OTHER INOFRMATION YOUR CAN GIVE ME IS HELPFUL

Hi Kayla,

Welcome to Science Buddies!

Hi,

Are you doing this project?

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p039.shtml

Although we are a good source for help with science projects, the Science Buddies website is not the best site for interview questions. Most of these questions are answered in the bibliography given in the project, however I will try to help you with a response.

1 The triiodide oxidizes Vitamin C to form iodide. Here is a reference from the Science Buddies website project that includes the reaction:

http://chemistry.about.com/od/demonstra ... ration.htm

2. Vitamin C is colorless, so the color of a fruit does not necessarily reflect the vitamin C content. However, in the reference given in this project, the authors evaluated the degree of yellowness in yellow bell peppers and did find a relationship. What was their result?

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/sa/v64n1/a03v64n1.pdf

3. Doing this project might help you decide if you would be interested in becoming a chemist, food scientist or nutritionist. It would also help you identify foods that are high in vitamin C.

4. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a small organic molecule that is an essential nutrient for humans.

5. During the titration, as soon as all of the vitamin C in the sample is converted to dehydroascorbic acid, there will be excess iodine in the sample. The iodine reacts with the starch in the sample to form a blue color.

What were your results? Do you have any other questions about your project?


Donna Hardy

My response was that Elongated Peppers had the most vitamin C, the Oranges, then Red Bell Peppers, and lastly apples. I did this project by adding 15 drops of idophenol into a test tube and recording how many drops it took to change the dark blue color clearish. Any additional information you can give about Vitamin C would be helpful