lOMoARcPSD|48742611
CHEMISTRY
INVETIGATORY
PROJECT
Topic: Acidity in Tea
Leaves
By:
Class:
lOMoARcPSD|48742611
ACKNOWLEDME
NTS
I would like to take this opportunity to express
my gratitude towards my chemistry teacher ,
for her precious and valuable guidance which
played a crucial rule in not only this
investigatory project on the topic “Acidity of tea
leaves” but also throughout the session with my
studies.
lOMoARcPSD|48742611
Index
1. Abstract
2. Theory
3. Experiment
[Link]
[Link]
6. Bibliography
lOMoARcPSD|48742611
ABSTRACT
Aim: To compare acid content in different
samples of tea leaves.
Tea leaves contain natural acids, including
tannins, catechins, and polyphenols, which
contribute to the overall acidity of tea.
However, it's important to note that the acidity
in tea is relatively mild compared to highly
acidic beverages like citrus juices.
The actual level of acidity in tea can vary
depending on various factors, such as the type of
tea, growing conditions, processing methods,
and brewing techniques. Generally, black tea
tends to have a lower acidity compared to
green tea and some herbal teas.
During the brewing process, some of the acids
present in tea are released into the water. The
length of brewing time and water temperature
can affect the extraction of acids. Steeping tea
for a longer period or using hotter water may
result in a slightly higher acidity in the brewed
tea.
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lOMoARcPSD|48742611
THEORY
There are about 600 traces of aroma
compounds in tea leaves, some lost and some
released during manufacturing. Once plucked,
tea leaves wither, their cell walls break down,
and chemical compounds form new chemical
compounds, not all of which are water soluble.
Polyphenols are a major class of
compounds in tea. They make up around
20% to 40% of the dry weight of tea
leaves.
The caffeine content in tea can range from
1% to 5% of the dry weight. However, it's
important to note that the actual caffeine
content can vary depending on factors
such as tea type, brewing time, and water
temperature.
Amino acids, including theanine, are
present in tea leaves at around 2% to 6%
of the dry weight.
Catechins comprise up to 30% of the dry
weight of a freshly picked tea leaf.
The oxalic acid present in tea leaves is
precipitated as calcium oxalate by
treatment of aqueous solution of tea
with calcium carbonate. Calcium oxalate
is then hydrolyzed with Conc.H2SO4 and
recrystallized from water.
lOMoARcPSD|48742611
lOMoARcPSD|48742611
Experiment
Aim: To compare acid content in different
samples of tea leaves.
Material required-
10gm of three different types of tea leaves.
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
Filter paper
Funnel
Beaker
Tripod stand
Bunsen
burner
Procedure-
1. Weigh exactly 10gm of one of the
samples of tea leaves, name this sample
‘A’.
2. Take 200ml of distilled water in a beaker.
3. Put the tea leaves in the above beaker
and boil it for 10 minutes.
4. Filter above boiled solution using funnel
and filter paper in another beaker. There
will be ppt. of Calcium oxalate on the filter
paper.
5. Keep filter paper aside and let it dry.
6. Weigh the ppt. of oxalic acid.
7. Repeat the above procedure with the
other two samples and name them ‘B’
and ‘C’ respectively.
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lOMoARcPSD|48742611
OBSERVATION
Sr. No. Sample of Tea Weight of Tea Weight of Percen tage of
Leaves Leaves Acid obtained OxalicAcid
1 A 10gm 0.91gm 9.1%
2 B 10gm 0.97gm 9.7%
3 C 10gm 0.80gm 8.0%
lOMoARcPSD|48742611
RESULT
Sample ‘B’ has a higher amount of oxalic acid
than sample ‘A’ and ‘C.’ Thus sample ‘B’ may
not be ideal for health but sure will have a
good taste compared to other samples.
lOMoARcPSD|48742611
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[Link]
composition-of- [Link]
[Link]
food- nutrition/is-tea-acidic
[Link]
