Group Project: Will the ratio of sucrose and glucose affect the hardness of sugar glass?


Project title: Will the ratio of sucrose and glucose affect the hardness of sugar glass?


Introduction and reasons:

 Introduction:

Sugar glass is a transparent but brittle sugar sheet that looks like glass, which is made by dissolving sugar in water, adding glucose, then heating it to “hard crack” (146 - 154 celsius degree) that makes 99% sugar concentration. 

This process inspired us to research for the factors affecting the hardness of sugar glass. 

 Reasons:

Sugar glass has an amorphous structure instead of crystalline structure. It is formed by sucrose molecule, that is a glucose molecule joined to a fructose molecule. When we add more glucose, it bonds well with the sucrose in the solutions because they are similar molecules. The glucose will prevent the sugar from recrystallization by getting in the way of sugar molecules forming crystals.



Hypothesis: 
The higher percent of Glucose sugar the ingredients include, the harder the sugar glass is.

Variables:
 Independent variable: the ratio of sucrose and glucose.

 Controlled variables:      the amount of water

                                             the amount of butter

                                             the temperature of boiling

                                             the source of sucrose, glucose, water and butter

                                             contact point of plastic bottle

                                             contact area of sugar glass and supporting tables

                                             time for solidification

                                             stirring direction (clockwise or anticlockwise)

                                             stirring frequency (100 times per minute)

Dependent variable: the hardness of sugar glass.



Experimental setup:

  Ingredient

      Sucrose, glucose, water and butter (easy to remove sugar glass out of the mould).


  Tools

      Pan, plastic bottle, food thermometer, mould and two same supporting tables.


  Steps

1. Combine 250ml of water with 100 grams of different proportioned sucrose and   glucose respectively. 

2. Number them 1~10 in the rising rank of proportion of sucrose. ( Sucrose versus  Glucose ratio: 0:10, 1:9, 2:8, 3:7, 4:6, 5:5, 6:4, 7:3, 8:2, 9:1, 10:0)

3. Heat the mixture to 150 celsius degree in the same pan, and keep stirring in the  same direction and frequency during this process. 

4. Pour the same-weighted mixture in the buttered mould to ensure the same  thickness of sugar glasses.

5. Put the mould horizontally and wait for solidification the same time duration.

6. Take the sugar glass out of the mould carefully.

7. Put the sides of sugar glass on two supporting tables with the same contact area  and let the center area of sugar glass hanging in the air .

8. Put a light plastic bottle at the center point of the sugar glass.

9. Add rice grams for 0.5g each time until the sugar glass breaks down to test its  hardness.



Reference:
César Vega; Erik Van Der Linden (30 December 2011). "Sweet Physics". The Kitchen As Laboratory: Reflections on the Science of Food and Cooking. Columbia University Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-231-15344-7. Retrieved 1 November 2012.

Provost, Joseph J.; Colabroy, Keri L.; Kely, Brenda S.; Bodwin, Jeffrey; Wallert, Mark A (02 May 2016). The Science of Cooking: Understanding the Biology and Chemistry Behind Food and Cooking. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118674208.

Sean Kelly; Bill Heffner. (29 July 2006). “Science and Property of Sugar Glass". Retrieved from:https://www.lehigh.edu/imi/scied/docs_students/Kelly_ReuPresentation.pdf


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