HUMANITAS GLOBAL STUDIES ACADEMYEl Camino Real Charter High School

5440 Valley Circle Blvd.Woodland Hills, CA 91367

P: (818) 595-7500 F: (818) 710-9023http://ecrhumanitas.net twitter.com/ecrhumanitas

Napoleon’s Buttons:Glucose

by Penny LeCouteur and Jay Burreson

1). How has the availability of sugar changed over the last 500 years? What factors are responsible for these changes?

2). How did the European demand for sugar fuel the slave trade, and ultimately, the Industrial Revolution?

3). Describe the three sides of the “trade triangle”.

4). What are the differences between the alpha and beta forms of glucose? Why is this important?

5). Describe the formation of the disaccharide sucrose. Include a labeled diagram (include before and after).

6). What is lactose intolerance and why does it occur?

7). Describe the chemistry behind sweetness. Give an example of a molecule other than sugar that is perceived as sweet.

8). Describe three artificial sweeteners: saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose. What are some advantages and disadvantages associated with each.