Lab A.

3 Energy Contained in a Snack

(pages 689-691)

Justin Mancino and Joseph Moulton

4/25/2017
Chemistry E
Mrs. Alkire
Statement of Problem and Hypothesis:
 I. Problem:
How will burning a chip reveal the quantity of energy within it?

II. Hypothesis:
If the change in temperature is greater when the water is heated with the use of the fire
caught by the food substance, then the energy content in the food substance is higher because the
heat energy is greater

III. Background Science:

A calorimeter is an object used for calorimetry, or the process of measuring the heat of
chemical reactions or physical changes as well as heat capacity. Differential scanning
calorimeters, isothermal microcalorimeters, titration calorimeters and accelerated rate
calorimeters are among the most common types. A simple calorimeter just consists of a
thermometer attached to a metal container full of water suspended above a combustion chamber.
The name calorimeter was made up by Antoine Lavoisier. In 1780, he used a guinea pig in his
experiments with this device to measure heat production. The heat from the guinea pig's
respiration melted snow surrounding the calorimeter, showing that respiratory gas exchange is
combustion, similar to a candle burning. Doritos, the chip we used in our experiment, are almost
pure hydrocarbons and fat which burn easily. Almost any chip can be used as a firestarter since
most have similar ingredients that burn easily. It is present in our data that almost all of the chips
mass is burnt away meaning most of its composition is based on flammable ingredients.

IV. Variable Identification:

Independent Variable: The temperature of the water before and after the trial and the
mass of the food before and after the trial

Dependent Variable: The temperature of the water before and after the trial and the mass
of the food before and after the trial

Controlled Variables:
1. The amount of water in each trial
2. The same type of food throughout the whole experiment
3. The same setup throughout the whole experiment
Experimental Design:
V. Procedure:
 1. Make sure close toed shoes are properly on feet and worn throughout the whole
experiment.
2. Hair is tied up/back to be out of face and away from all materials during
experiment.
3. All dangling jewelry is taken off and put away.
4. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times: NO horseplay, NO running,
NEVER do anything in the lab area that is not called for by instructor, read
procedure carefully before beginning, NEVER work alone.
5. Put on goggles and wear them correctly throughout the whole experiment
6. Carefully measure 100 mL (with a graduated cylinder) of chilled water (chill it
with ice). Record the volume to the nearest milliliter. Pour the water into a clean,
empty can.
7. Set up the apparatus as shown below. Do not ignite the food yet. Move the can so
that the top of the flame or energy source will be about 2 cm from the bottom of
the can.
8. Measure the water temperature to the nearest 0.1 °C. Record this value in data
table.
9. Measure the mass of the food before igniting it.
10. Place the food under the can of water. Ignite the food and begin heating. As the
water heats, stir it gently. (Caution: Do not stir with the thermometer only use a
stirring rod.)
11. After the water has heated to the temperature of the room times 2 (example if the
water is 0 degrees Celsius and the room is 20 degrees Celsius, the water has to be
heated to 40 degrees Celsius), cut the heat and extinguish the flame from the food
or until flame stops itself.
12. Continue stirring the water until its temperature stops rising. Record the highest
temperature reached by the warmed water.
13. After the temperature of the water has stopped rising, measure the mass of the
food and be careful not to break off pieces of the chip.
14. Discard the warmed water from the can. Repeat Steps 6–13 three times.
15. Once experiment is finished and data is recorded into the table, dispose of all
elements as directed by teacher. Clean up your area and tools completely and
make sure everything is put away in the proper places. Wash hands thoroughly
before leaving laboratory area. Do not remove goggles until lab area is completely
cleaned, hands are thoroughly washed, and you are out of the laboratory area.

Data and Observations:

VI. Data Table
 Trial: Temperature of Mass of food Temperature of Mass of food
water before before being water after being after being
being heated heated (grams) heated (degrees heated (grams)
(degrees celsius) celsius)

1 6°C 2.7g 31°C .31g

2 9°C 2.5g 35°C .46g

3 11°C 2.5g 43°C .62g

Conclusion:
VII. Conclusion:
Based on observations made by utilising our data to draw conclusions, our hypothesis can
be proven true. As our data suggests, the temperature of the water did increase significantly
when we combusted a dorito underneath our apparatus. In our first trial, the dorito increased the
water temperature by 27 degrees celsius (from 6°c to 31°c) and the mass decreased by 2.31
grams (or lost approximately 88% of its bass.) After using the formula to calculate calories (Q =
mCpΔT), we found that the dorito had around 1.12 calories. While the numbers we found are
sufficient to prove our hypothesis true, they are not entirely accurate. Based on rigorous
evaluation of our apparatus, we were able to determine that the issue lied within our heat
containment module. In short - we did not have one. So after a brief redesign period, we fitted a
new tinfoil module on top of our apparatus which seemed to keep heat inside more efficiently.
Trial 3 is when this change went into effect, and we could see the change it brought forth with
clarity. The temperature changed by 32°c and the mass of the dorito changed from 2.5g to .62g.
We still got a relatively low value of 1.7, but the change in temperature was much more accurate.
The accuracy of our data can be contributed to the incomplete burning of the dorito. Numerous
times, the dorito burnt out and we could not relight it so there is certain to be some variation in
the actual temperature increase in the water. What we know for certain is that the temperature
increased more than any of our other trials despite the fluctuations within the combustion of the
dorito, so had the dorito not burned out we might have seen more success.

Questions:
VIII. Questions:
Completed by each partner on a separate sheet of paper