Fermentation Experiment

Will an increase in temperature of corn syrup yield a higher rate of fermentation? This is the question, which served as the foundation to which this experiment was initially conducted. The hypothesis from which this experiment was constructed was an increase in the temperature of the water in which fermentation occurs, will increase the rate at which fermentation happens, due to the dependence on temperature. With a rise in temperature less activation energy is needed, thus the rate of fermentation will increase. Throughout the course of the experiment, many trials served as the basis of the pre-existing assumption that an increase in temperature would lead to an increase in the rate of fermentation. Cold water, water at room temperature as

The effect of different temperature on molecules will either cause an increase in kinetic energy with increasing temperature or decrease in kinetic energy with decreasing temperature. This change of kinetic energy will affect the activation energy required for a reaction to occur. So, with a rise in temperature less activation energy is needed, thus the rate of fermentation will

To start this study, nine labeled test tubes were setup with precise amounts of 2mL of deionized water, and 1ml of 50-50 corn syrup to water mixture. The addition of 1mL of yeast would also be added, but this will not be added until the fermentation apparatus is assembled in the water bath and ready to begin the reaction. The assemble of our apparatus included submerging and combining of the test tube and tubing with a stopper to ensure no air is in the apparatus. Then the assemble would be put this apparatus with water inside a Styrofoam cup, to ensure temperature is conserved best, and prepare to add the test tube with controlled substance to the test tube and stopper. The water baths at different temperatures are the only variables changed. One water bath was set up as the control group at room temperature, 28°C. The second water bath was setup to 0.4°C by use of ice water, and third bath used hot water at 49°C. Right before adding the test tube with control substance, the yeast would be added to create the reaction that produced the gas. To ensure best accuracy of fermentation, an initial test tube with all substances but yeast was performed to obtain an initial equilibrium time. Measuring of this time occurs till no more air is bubbling out of tube. This time is where we would mark are initial measuring line for each of the following reactions. As the gas pushes the water out of the test tube