In science class on Monday and Tuesday, we did a lab to represent the digestion of proteins in the stomach. I found this two day experiment really interesting. To start off with, we were provided with four test tubes which were used to hold the substances that were to be used throughout the experiment. Some of the main materials used in the lab were water, diluted hydrochloric acid, pepsin, blue litmus paper, and white boiled egg. We were instructed to put three pieces of egg into each of the four test tubes. The egg pieces represented what was going to be broken down. After that, we distributed pepsin, hydrochloric acid, and water into the test tubes according to the directions given. Basically, our goal was to observe any reactions of the boiled egg and the litmus paper. We used clean stirrers to touch each of the four mixtures of the test tubes and then with pressure touched the four different pieces of litmus paper. We noticed that test tubes with hydrochloric acid made a greater impact to the litmus paper. The acid made the blue litmus paper pink. However, the more watery substances didn't influence a color change of the litmus paper. From Day 1 to Day 2, there had been major differences in the solutions of the test tubes. For example, on Day 2 some of the test tube solutions were more mushy, sticky, and "bubbly" than the previous day. "Bubbly" refers to "with bubbles." Also, on Day 2 the egg pieces appeared smaller, because of it shrinking over the 24 hour period. A cool discovery I made was that pepsin and hydrochloric acid together would be best at digesting an item. Not pepsin alone, but with the hydrochloric acid, the two would have a strong ability to digest protein. The purpose of the lab was to connect real life science to what is occurring inside our stomachs. My group concluded that it takes time for the stomach to digest and disintegrate food particles. Similarly, it took time for reactions to take place in the experiment. The reactions were more clear on Day 2.
