Making Simple Syrup Solutions

Simple syrup is a common sweetener utilized to sweeten drinks and food. It is made by dissolving sucrose in water at the concentration of 30 millimolar (30 mM). Thirty millimolar simple syrup solution is ideal as the sucrose is unlikely to recrystallize out of solution, while allowing the solution to act as a mild preservative for approximately 4 weeks in a refrigerator.

Each student will make a 40 mL solution of simple syrup (30 mL sucrose).

Sucrose (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁): MW = 342.3 g/mol

Simple Syrup = 30 mM (0.03M) Sucrose solution.

Serial Dilutions

Laboratory solutions that are used frequently in the laboratory are commonly made as concentrated stock solutions. The advantage of making the concentrated stock solutions is that it saves time by making just a single solution once from dry solute. Moreover, there is less chance of one, or multiple mistakes when making the single stock solution compared to multiple working solutions. Finally, many biochemicals are more stable at higher concentrations compared to lower concentrations. High concentration stock solutions can be easily diluted to any lower concentration working solution.

Each solution will make a 500 mL, 5-fold (1:5) dilution of a common food coloring.

Team 1: Green

Team 2: Blue

Team 3: Yellow

Team 4: Red