Name________________________________Class____________________Date____________________

Skills Practice Lab DATASHEET FOR LABBOOK

The Best-Bread Bakery Dilemma

The chief baker at the Best-Bread Bakery thinks that the yeast the bakery received
may be dead. Yeast is a central ingredient in bread. Yeast is a living organism, a
member of the kingdom Fungi, and it undergoes the same life processes as other
living organisms. When yeast grows in the presence of oxygen and other nutrients,
yeast produces carbon dioxide. The gas forms bubbles that cause bread dough to
rise. Thousands of dollars may be lost if the yeast is dead.
The Best-Bread Bakery has requested that you test the yeast. The bakery has
furnished samples of live yeast and some samples of the yeast in question.
MATERIALS
beaker, 250 mL stirring sticks, wooden (3)
flour sugar
gloves, heat-resistant test-tube rack
graduated cylinder test tubes (3) (or clear plastic cups)
hot plate thermometer, Celsius, with clip
magnifying lens water, 125 mL
scoopula (or small spoon) yeast samples (live, A, and B)

SAFETY INFORMATION

PROCEDURE

1. Use the table below to record your data.

Yeast Observations 0 5 min 10 15 20 25 Dead or
Sample min min min min min alive?

Answers are based on students observations and may vary.

Live

Sample A

Sample B

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Holt Science and Technology 78 Its Alive!! Or Is It?
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The Best-Bread Bakery Dilemma continued

2. Examine each yeast sample with a magnifying lens. You may want to sniff the
samples to determine the presence of an odor. (Your teacher will demonstrate
the appropriate way to detect odors in this lab.) Record your observations in
the data table.
3. Label three test tubes or plastic cups Live Yeast, Sample A Yeast, and
Sample B Yeast.
4. Fill a beaker with 125 mL of water, and place the beaker on a hot plate. Use a
thermometer to be sure the water does not get warmer than 32 C. Attach the
thermometer to the side of the beaker with a clip so the thermometer doesnt
touch the bottom of the beaker. Turn off the hot plate when the water
temperature reaches 32C.
5. Add a small scoop (about 1/2 tsp) of each yeast sample to the correctly labeled
container. Add a small scoop of sugar to each container.
6. Add 10 mL of the warm water to each container, and stir.
7. Add a small scoop of flour to each container, and stir again. The flour will help
make the process more visible but is not necessary as food for the yeast.
8. Observe the samples carefully. Look for bubbles. Make observations at 5 min
intervals. Write your observations in the data table.
9. In the last column of the data table, write alive or dead based on your
observations during the experiment.

ANALYZE THE RESULTS

1. Describe any differences in the yeast samples before the experiment.
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2. Describe the appearance of the yeast samples at the conclusion of the
experiment.
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3. Why was a sample of live yeast included in the experiment?
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Original content Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor .
Holt Science and Technology 79 Its Alive!! Or Is It?
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The Best-Bread Bakery Dilemma continued

4. Why was sugar added to the samples?

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5. Based on your observations, is either Sample A or Sample B alive?
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DRAW CONCLUSIONS
6. Write a letter to the Best-Bread Bakery stating your recommendation to use or
not use the yeast samples. Give reasons for your recommendation.
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APPLYING YOUR DATA

Based on your observations of the nutrient requirements of yeast, design an
experiment to determine the ideal combination of nutrients. Vary the amount of
nutrients, or examine different energy sources.
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Original content Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor .
Holt Science and Technology 80 Its Alive!! Or Is It?
TEACHER RESOURCES
Skills Practice Lab DATASHEET FOR LABBOOK

The Best-Bread Bakery Dilemma

Teacher Notes
TIME REQUIRED
Two 45-minute class periods
Susan Gorman
LAB RATINGS Northridge Middle School
Teacher Prep2 North Richland Hills, Texas
Student Set-Up1
Concept Level1
Clean Up1

MATERIALS
The materials listed on the student page are enough for a group of 34 students.
Yeast is easily obtained from the local grocery store. The school cafeteria may be
willing to donate the amount you need. You may wish to add other materials in
anticipation of students experimental design. For example, some students may
recognize that they could collect CO2 in a balloon attached to the top of a test tube
containing live yeast.

SAFETY CAUTION
Remind students to review all safety cautions and icons before beginning this lab
activity. Caution students to be careful of the hot plate and the cord. You should
demonstrate the proper laboratory technique for determining the presence of an
odor. Hold the container away from your face about 25 cm and just below your
nose. Use the other hand to waft the odor toward your face. Caution students
NEVER to put their noses directly in a container and inhale.

PREPARATION NOTES
At least one of the suspect samples should be killed yeast. To kill the yeast, place
the yeast in an oven at 400F for 10 min or in a microwave oven for a few minutes
at high power. Do not allow yeast to become moist before use. Toothpicks, coffee
stirrers, and so on, may be used for stirring. The amounts of each ingredient used
are not definite, and you may wish to vary amounts, depending on the results
desired.

LAB NOTES
To help students prepare for this activity, you may wish to review cellular
respiration and fermentation. The equation for respiration follows:
C6H12O6 6O2 6CO2 6H2O energy

Original content Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor .
Holt Science and Technology 77 Its Alive!! Or Is It?