Mrs Sheffbag is doing her GCSE's (god bless her 37 and only just reached the 5th Form) and one of them (Biology) requires the use of Benedict's Solution for tests.

Does anyone know of a place in the area where she can go get some??

Many thanks in advance you fab forumsters you!

If she's doing her GCSE through college, can they supply it? There's not much on a quick google. What is it for?

If she's doing her GCSE through college, can they supply it? There's not much on a quick google. What is it for?

It's dilute Copper Sulphate, used to test for Glucose (sugar) in food.
It's normal colour is pale blue but turns orange if Glucose is present.
If only a small amount of Glucose is present it turns pale green.

It's for testing for the presence of reducing sugars such as glucose, or aldehydes in general, and contains Cu(II) ions (in the form of copper citrate) which get reduced to a precipitate of copper(I) oxide, if I remember rightly (years since I did this).

A typical recipe is to dissolve recrystallised sodium citrate and anhydrous sodium carbonate in water, then add copper(II) sulphate solution and dilute with distilled water, filtering if necessary. The purpose of the citrate is to stop copper carbonate from precipitating out of the basic solution.

I think you'd have to get it made up by a technician at a school, University or hospital - if you're doing the course there should surely be some provision for you to do the practical experiments as well. Not least because copper sulphate is classed as toxic, and also because when you do the test you have to boil the sugar up with it.

Stanley R. Benedict, the inventor of this test, was married to the anthropologist Ruth Fulton Benedict; after they divorced she became the lover of the rather more famous anthropologist Margaret Mead and seems to be a figure of some interest in ethical, lesbian and anthropological circles whereas sadly he only seems to get a mention as her domineering husband.

cheers guys, i was looking for a source of it, she is doing distance learning. I know you used to be able to get it a chemist once upon a time but not now

cheers guys, i was looking for a source of it, she is doing distance learning. I know you used to be able to get it a chemist once upon a time but not now
Have you been in touch with the distance learning provider to ask if they have a recommended supplier? If they've given a list of practicals that can be done at home, they generally provide you with information where you can purchase the reagents.

You'd probably have to sign a COSHH form to say you understand the hazards associated with the chemical.

Why does she have to do the practical in a distance learning course?

Why does she have to do the practical in a distance learning course?
Biology is a practical subject, so practical experiments are essential. Moreover, all the GCSE Biology syllabi include a practical assessment. Or at least they did. I'd be stunned if that wasn't still the case.

Why not ring your local comp school and ask them if they would provide you with some and give them a small donation to their school funds.

the only place i found to buy it is the following link

http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Benedicts-Solution-4oz-P6408C670.aspx

And they won't ship it outside the USA or Canada. You're better off contacting your local school or University and seeing whether they would let you go in and do the experiment there, to be honest.