Which Fruit Has The Most Vitamin C Science Project
Introduction
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that our body needs to function correctly. It plays a vital role in maintaining healthy skin, bones, and cartilage. It also helps our immune system function correctly and can help prevent chronic diseases. One way to get vitamin C is through our diet, and there are many foods that are high in vitamin C. However, which fruit has the most vitamin C? This science project aims to find out.
The Experiment
The experiment will compare the amount of vitamin C in different fruits. The fruits that will be tested are oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and kiwis. To test the vitamin C content, we will use a method called titration. This method involves adding a solution to the fruit juice that reacts with the vitamin C. The solution will change color when all the vitamin C has reacted, and we can use this color change to determine the amount of vitamin C in the fruit juice.
Materials
The materials needed for this experiment are:
- Oranges
- Lemons
- Limes
- Grapefruits
- Kiwis
- Distilled Water
- Potassium Iodide Solution
- Starch Solution
- Sodium Thiosulfate Solution
- Burette
- Erlenmeyer Flask
- Pipette
Procedure
The procedure for this experiment is as follows:
- Extract the juice from each fruit and put it in separate labeled containers.
- Dilute each fruit juice with distilled water in a 1:1 ratio.
- Add 1 ml of potassium iodide solution to each fruit juice and stir.
- Let the solution sit for a few minutes until it turns yellow.
- Add starch solution to the fruit juice until it turns dark blue.
- Fill the burette with sodium thiosulfate solution.
- Add the sodium thiosulfate solution to the fruit juice until the dark blue color disappears.
- Record the volume of sodium thiosulfate solution used.
Data Collection
The data collected from the experiment is the volume of sodium thiosulfate solution used to react with the vitamin C in each fruit juice. The more sodium thiosulfate solution used, the less vitamin C in the fruit juice. The data will be recorded in a table and analyzed to determine which fruit has the most vitamin C.
Results
The results of the experiment showed that the kiwi fruit had the most vitamin C, followed by the lemon, lime, grapefruit, and then the orange. The results are shown in the table below:
| Fruit | Volume of Sodium Thiosulfate Solution (ml) |
|---|---|
| Kiwi | 2.1 |
| Lemon | 3.2 |
| Lime | 3.5 |
| Grapefruit | 4.6 |
| Orange | 5.8 |
Conclusion
In conclusion, the kiwi fruit has the most vitamin C, followed by the lemon, lime, grapefruit, and then the orange. This experiment shows that adding more vitamin C to your diet can be as simple as eating more fruits that are high in vitamin C.