Title: Energy Content of Foods

Your Name
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Period:
Lab Done:

Turned in January 28, 2013

Background Information:

Heat is energy that transfers from one object to another because of a temperature difference between
the objects. Heat is measured in a calorimeter and the units for heat are joules or calories. The
calorimeter uses the Law of Conservation of Energy which states that energy is never created or
destroyed but is transferred between objects.
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles an object which is different that
the heat which is all the energy in the object. Temperature can be used to calculate heat by looking at
the change in temperature.
Energy can be calculated using the formula: Q = mc ∆T. In the formula, Q = the energy in joules or
calories, m = the mass in grams, c = specific heat and ∆T = the change in temperature which is the
final temperature minus the initial temperature.
The specific heat for water = 1 calorie/gram °C.

Purpose:

The purpose of this lab was to determine the energy content of different foods.

Hypothesis:

If different foods are burned, then their energy content can be found, because the energy will be

transferred to the water in the calorimeter because of the Law of Conservation of Energy.

Materials:

• Safety goggles • Water

• Food samples • Graduated Cylinder
• Food holder • Balance
• Can Calorimeter • Matches
• Ring Stand • Thermometer
• Ring Clamp

Diagram of lab setup:

Procedures:

1. Get and put on safety goggles.

2. Measure water (approximately 50 ml) and put in can calorimeter.
3. Measure temperature of water.
4. Get food sample and put in food holder.
5. Measure mass of food and food holder.
 6. Light food on fire and put close to bottom of can.
7. Wait for food to burn completely.
8. Measure temperature of water.
9. Measure mass of remaining food and food holder.
10. Empty water from can and throw away food remains.
11. Repeat steps 2-10 for remaining 3 foods.

Safety Considerations:

1. Wear safety goggles at all times.

2. Long hair should be tied back.
3. Close-toed shoes should be worn.

Data:

Marshmallow Peanut Cheese Puff Popcorn

Initial mass of food and 28.2 g 18.5 g 19.1 g 18.1 g

holder in grams

Final mass of burned 25.2 g 18.0 g 18.4 g 18.0 g

food and holder in
grams
Mass of empty can in 19.6 g 19.6 g 19.6 g 19.6 g
grams

Mass of can with water 69.6 g 69.6 g 69.6 g 69.6 g

in grams

Starting water 21.9 ° 22.8 ° 23.7 ° 25.2 °

temperature in °C

Final water temperature 27.1 ° 37.6 ° 37.3 ° 26.7 °

in °C

Calculations:

Marshmallow Peanut Potato Chip Popcorn

Calculated mass of 5.2 °C 50.0 g 50.0 g 50.0 g

water in grams
Calculated ∆T in °C 5.2 °C 14.8°C 13.6°C 1.5°C

Calculated heat energy 1086.8 J 3093.2 J 2842.4 J 313.5 J

gained by water in J
Q = mc∆T
Calculated mass of food 3.0 g 0.5 g 0.7 g 0.1 g
burned in grams
Calculated energy 362.3 J/g 6186.4 J/g 4060.6 J/g 3135.0 J/g
content per gram of
food (J/g)
Calculations for Marshmallow

1. Heat Energy = (mass of water) * (specific heat) * (change in temperature)

50.0 g x 4.184 J/g°C x 5.2 °C = 1068.8 J
2. Energy content per gram = Heat Energy / Mass of Burned Food
1068.8 J / 3.0 g = 362.3 J/g
Calculations for Peanut

1. Heat Energy = (mass of water) * (specific heat) * (change in temperature)

50.0 g x 4.184 J/g°C x 14.8 °C = 3093.2 J
2. Energy content per gram = Heat Energy / Mass of Burned Food
3093.2 J / 0.5 g = 6186.4 J/g
Calculations for Potato Chip

1. Heat Energy = (mass of water) * (specific heat) * (change in temperature)

50.0 g x 4.184 J/g°C x 13.6 °C = 2842.4 J
2. Energy content per gram = Heat Energy / Mass of Burned Food
2842.4 J / 0.7 g = 4060.6 J/g
Calculations for Popcorn

1. Heat Energy = (mass of water) * (specific heat) * (change in temperature)

50.0 g x 4.184 J/g°C x 1.5 °C = 313.5 J
2. Energy content per gram = Heat Energy / Mass of Burned Food
313.5 J / 0.1 g = 3135.0 J/g

Data Analysis

The food with the highest energy content per gram was the peanut.
The food with the lowest energy content per gram was the marshmallow.
1. One possible source of error in this lab was that energy was lost to the air because the food wasn’t
directly next to the can. Another area where error could have occurred was in the measuring of the
temperature because it was hard to read the thermometer and the temperature dropped a lot when
it was taken out of the can.
2. The calorimeter makes use of the law of conservation of energy because it measures the amount of
heat transferred to the water in the can from the burning food.
3. Looking at the data from the peanuts and potato chip (high fat) compared to the marshmallow and
popcorn (high sugar), high fat food contains more energy than high sugar food.

4. In this experiment, the peanut had the highest energy content. This makes sense because the
peanut burned the longest and had the highest fat content. High fat foods have a higher energy
content.
 5. The peanut had 6186.4 J/g.
(6186.4 J/g) x (50 g) x (1/4.184 cal/J) x (1 Cal/1000 cal) = 73.93 Calories
Conclusion

The hypothesis for this lab was that if different foods are burned, then their energy content could be found,

because the energy will be transferred to the water in the calorimeter because of the Law of Conservation of

Energy. This hypothesis was supported because when the food burned the temperature of the water

increased.

The lab was related to the study of energy because we measured the change in temperature using the

calorimeter and used the heat calculation to determine the heat energy.

The data showed that high fat foods have more energy than high sugar foods which was expected. The food

with the highest energy content per gram was the peanut at 6186.4 J/g. The food with the lowest energy

content per gram was the marshmallow at 362.3 J/g. This information could be used to help choose foods

when more or less calories are needed and to help choose more healthy foods. This information could also be

used if heat was needed and food was the only thing available to burn. One possible source of error in this lab

was that energy was lost to the air because the food wasn’t directly next to the can. Another area where error

could have occurred was in the measuring of the temperature because it was hard to read the thermometer

and the temperature dropped a lot when it was taken out of the can. More careful measuring would have

made the results more accurate as well.