Loops: Milk and Milk Contains Essay

Submitted By akhanwarrior78
Words: 1053
Pages: 5

Arsal Khan
Ms.Ricks’ Chemistry
11/25/12
Period 6

Lactose in milk Simply put, our group’s science fair object was to prove that soy milk had the lowest amount of lactose carbohydrates, contrary to the amount of lactose in low fat milk and powdered milk. Studies show that in modern day society lactose intolerance is a considerable problem. Lactose intolerance is an allergy to the casein in milk (“Lactose Intolerance: MedlinePlus MedicalEncyclopedia”.Paragraph 2). The effects of this intolerance can range from mild to severe, which in special cases may even lead to death. Consequently, people have to wage different types of milk against each other to find out which type of milk is better suited for a person with lactose intolerance. To find out what type of milk was the lowest in lactose, we had to go through some tests and state a hypothesis too: Soy milk should be the lowest in lactose rather than low fat milk or powdered milk. Our purpose was mainly to show that people had choices when it came down to their health and well-being. Research is always needed before conducting an experiment, and what started us off was milk. Milk is the thick, white colored liquid produced in the mammary glands of mammals and is generally used for feeding babies due to their inability to digest food. You see, milk contains antibodies that help fight infection in infants while also helping maintain a steady speed of growth. Lactose is just one of the many fundamental parts of casein, which is the combination of different proteins and vitamins in milk. It is consisted of the simple, monosaccharide sugars glucose and galactose. The inability to digest these sugars is known as lactose intolerance. Variables and equipment played a colossal part in our experiment. Stirring rods, beakers, flasks, acids, carbonates, water, filter papers, hot plates and scales were needed for this experiment to take place. With these products, we started our trial experiment to find out the different variables impacting our work environment. Organization was key and labeling beakers came first. We then went on to pour the different types of milk into their respective beakers. Realizing that heat is needed to separate casein from water, our hot plates came in handy and brought our milk to boiling temperature. Stirring rods, calcium carbonate, and ethanol then were stirred into the milk and cooled. After thirty minutes, lactose crystals formed and were weighed. What we found out from this trial was that the independent variable was milk. It was independent of any other variable and could be tested as is. The dependent variable on the other hand was the amount of crystals formed. Weight of the crystals simply relied on the accuracy of our measurements and our time management. And lastly, the control variables were the temperature of the environment, the amount of milk used, and the process of extracting lactose. All of these constants depended on our thinking of what would better help conduct our experiment. After many trials (3 to be exact), we found out that our hypothesis had been proven right. Soy milk did contain the lowest amount of lactose carbohydrates and is/was the best fit for a person with lactose intolerance. Why did we know this? Research shows that soy milk is the purest form of milk, along with being near organic in nature (“Lactose in General.” paragraph 5). The table below shows our results. Measurement | Milk type and lactose crystal weight(in grams) | | Low fat milk | Powdered milk | Soy milk | Lactose crystal weight, gram | 6.3 | 6.4 | 1.2 |

My experiment was held together because of my eagerness to find the most organic form of milk. Scientists in modern society held the belief that cows could be bred differently and fed different types of food to deplete milk of lactose. This method was tried repeatedly for many years with no avail. After much time, soybeans came up with a solution to end the nightmares of lactose