Molisch's test
- noun
- /ˈmoʊlɪʃɪz tɛst/
- Specialized
:
prueba de Molisch
- The violet ring in Molisch's test is a positive indication of sugar.
Examples
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Using Molisch's test, the scientists confirmed the presence of carbohydrates in the sample.
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Many biology labs teach students to perform Molisch's test during experiments involving plant extracts.
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We performed Molisch's test in the lab yesterday.
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Have you ever conducted Molisch's test?
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In the laboratory, the students learned to conduct Molisch's test to determine if carbohydrates were present in their samples.
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During the experiment, the formation of a violet ring indicated a positive result for carbohydrates in Molisch's test.
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After performing Molisch's test, the researchers noted that the solution turned violet, confirming the presence of sugars.
Synonyms
A lab test that shows sugar by making a purple ring
A chemical test that shows a violet ring when sugars are present
A chemical test that shows a violet ring when sugar is in a liquid
Surface Forms
Morphology
Molisch's + test
A B1 learner who knows 'test' will recognise this as a named test (i.e. a procedure or assay) from the possessive proper name, but the crucial meaning (that it detects carbohydrates and gives a violet ring) cannot be derived from the constituent words. The pattern 'X's test' is cross-linguistically common and signals a named procedure, so the expression is partially transparent but the specific diagnostic content is not predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Molisch's test is named after the scientist Hans Molisch, who first described the method. He showed that when 'sugar' meets a chemical called alpha-naphthol and a strong acid a violet ring appears, so the image of the violet ring helps you remember the test shows 'carbohydrates'.
