Explore the energy content of food, Calorie, and food calorimetry.

Learning Objectives Include

• Explain the role of macromolecules in energy expenditure in the human body
• Discuss the relationship between calories and quantification of energy needs in biological systems
• Explain how the energy content in food relates to macronutrient metabolism in biological systems
• Describe how a calorimeter works
• Use a calorimeter to measure the energy content of food samples

Students explore enzymes, substrates and reaction products, enzyme activity.

Learning Objectives Include

• Explain the role of enzymes in digestion of macronutrients
• Diagram the reactants and products of a chemical reaction in nutrition
• Distinguish between enzymes, substrates and reaction products
• List factors that impact the rate of a reaction
• Test how pH, temperature, and enzyme concentration impact enzyme activity

Students test for carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, and fats.

Learning Objectives Include

• Write hypothesis statements based on knowledge of scientific principles
• Identify experimental variables as independent, dependent, or control variables
• Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative data
• Determine the presence of amino acids, proteins, glucose, and starch using indicator solutions

Thin-layer chromatography, types of lipids, and saturation levels of fatty acids.

Learning Objectives Include

• Apply appropriate experimental protocols to quantify fat (lipid) content in foods
• Differentiate among different types of lipids
• Explain how thin-layer chromatography works
• Quantify type of lipids and lipid content in food using thin-layer chromatography
• Discuss how chemical reagents can be used to distinguish the degree of unsaturation in lipids

Students explore vitamins and minerals, testing for vitamin C and iron.

Learning Objectives Include

• Explain the role of vitamins and minerals
• Define essential vitamin
• Define oxidation and reduction
• Discuss the role of vitamin C as an antioxidant
• Discuss the role of vitamin C in iron absorption
• List the functions of iron in the body
• Test for the presence of vitamins in solutions
• Use colorimetric techniques to test for the relative concentration of iron in solutions

Students explore concentration, osmotic pressure, tonicity and water imbalance.

Learning Objectives Include

• Explain how water is an essential macronutrient
• Explain the role of water in fluid balance
• Explain the importance of the appropriate mix (ratio) of water and electrolytes in the body
• Define concentration in terms of electrolyte ions (solute) in a fluid (aqueous) compartment (solvent)
• Define isotonicity, hypertonicity and hypotonicity
• Quantify concentrations of unknown solutions after testing osmotic pressure of known solutions

Students identify acids and bases, measure pH, and explore buffers.

Learning Objectives Include

• Discuss how hydrogen ion content in a solution affects acid-base balance
• Discuss reactions that neutralize body fluids
• State the relationship between hydrogen ion concentration and pH
• Measure pH in acidic, basic and neutral solutions
• Demonstrate how to maintain the pH of a solution using a buffer solution
• Analyze pH changes of a buffer solution
• Explain the chemical basis for differences in the pH of a variety of solutions