Lab 1 Food Energy

Background: All foods contain energy, but the amount varies greatly from one food to another.
You can use a calorimeter to measure the amount of energy, in calories, in some food. A calorie is
the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1g of water 1
O
C. Calorie values of food on
diet charts are given in kilocalories (1,000 calories), or kcals. (The kilocalorie is also referred to as
the Calorie not to be confused with a calorie. Your teacher will be providing tables listing caloric
values for common foods. Using a thermometer, you can measure the change in temperature of a
known volume of water. The water changes temperature by absorbing the heat given off by the
burning of a known mass of food. Based on the change in temperature, you can calculate the
amount of energy in food.

Materials:
Safety goggles
100 mL graduated cylinder
250 mL flask
Thermometer
Balance (scale)
16 oz. can with cutouts
Wine cork
Kitchen matches
Paper clip
Aluminum foil
Pot holders
Food samples

Hypothesis:





Procedure:

1. Set up a data table in your notebook similar to the one below, including all food samples:


Mass of
Sample
Temperature of Water,
o
C Food Energy
Before
Burning
After
Burning

Change

calories

kcal
kcal per
gram
Peanut
Sample 1

Peanut
Sample 2

Peanut
Sample 3

Average

2. Using the balance (scale) determine the mass to the nearest 0.1 g of each food sample.
Record the masses in the table.
3. Obtain a 250 mL flask, a can, a cork with a paperclip, and a piece of aluminum foil. Use the
equipment to make a calorimeter like the one shown in the figure. Practice assembling the
calorimeter.
4. With the calorimeter disassembled, measure 100 mL of tap water and pour it into the flask.
5. Set the thermometer in the flask. Measure the temperature of the water and record it in the
table.
6. Please a peanut (or other food sample) in the wired holder (paperclip) anchored in the
cork. Then place the cork on the piece of aluminum foil.
7. Carefully set fire to the peanut (or other food sample). This may require several matches.
Discard burned matches in a container of water.
8. Place the can over the burning sample with the viewing hole facing you. Place the flask of
water on top of the can.
9. Take temperature readings as soon as the sample has burned out and then at 30 second
intervals until the water temperature begins to decrease. (The temperature will continue to
rise after the sample has burned out as the water absorbs the heat from the can.)
10. Allow the calorimeter to cool for 2 minutes before disassembling.
11. Repeat steps 4-10 three times for each food sample. Change the water in the flask each
time.

Analysis:
1. Prepare graphs of the data. Determine the average change in temperature for each sample.
Calculate the number of kilocalories produced per gram. To do this, multiply the increase in
water temperature (average change) by 100 (the number of mL of water used). This step
will give you the number of calories. To convert to kilocalories, divide by 1,000
calories/kilocalorie. To calculate kilocalories produced per gram of food, divide this
number by the number of grams of food burned. Enter all data in the table.
2. How does your data compare with the values for 100g of the same or similar food listed by
your teacher? (The kilocalories listed in most diet charts are per 100g, per ounce, per cup,
or per serving. To compare your results, you may need to convert to common units.)
3. How do you account for any differences?
4. If the same amount of food you tested were completely burned by the cells of the human
body, would you expect the energy released to be greater or less than your results? Greater
or less than the published charts of the same caloric content of foods?
5. Which of the food samples tested seems to be the better energy source? Why?
6. Why might some foods with fewer kilocalories be better energy sources than other foods
with more kilocalories?
7. What was the original source of energy in all the foods tested?


Note: Formal lab report due Friday. Your hypothesis should include why you believe you will see
certain results. All analysis answers should be typed. All graphs and tables done in class should be
included. All conversions/calculations should be shown. Please note any sources of error. Human
error is a category be specific about types or sources of human error!