Comparing the Energy Produced by Nonrenewable and Renewable Fuels

Research Plan

Proponents:

Question or Problem being Addressed

The fuel that most vehicles use, gasoline, is a petroleum product. Petroleum is a fossil fuel
and is a nonrenewable form of energy, meaning we use it faster than it is able to be reproduced.
Burning fossil fuels also produces pollutants that might hurt our environment. Using a kind of fuel
from a renewable source would help save Earth's natural resources and cut down on
pollutants. This research will determine if renewable fuel produces the same level of energy as an
equivalent amount of nonrenewable fuel.

Goals/ Expected Outcomes/ Hypothesis

To determine if the energy in a renewable fuel is equivalent to the energy in the same
amount of nonrenewable fuel.

Hypothesis
Null:
1. There is evidence to show that the energy in a renewable fuel is equivalent to the
energy in the same amount of nonrenewable fuel.
Alternative:
1. There is no evidence to show that the energy in a renewable fuel is equivalent to
the energy in the same amount of nonrenewable fuel.

Description in Details of Procedure:

Materials
 Paperclips, large (2). The paperclips must be metal and not coated with plastic.
 Cotton cordage 1/2-inch (in.) diameter, 1-foot (ft.) length; available at fabric stores or craft
stores
 Ruler
  Scissors
 Soda can, 12-ounce (oz.), cleaned and metal tab removed
 Liquid measuring cup, metric
 StyrofoamTM cup
 Scientific thermometer
 Ring stand
 Ring clamp; attaches to ring stand, ring should be approximately 3 inches in diameter.
 Medicine dropper or disposable pipet
 Nonrenewable fuel: Petroleum, Kerosene
 Renewable: Vegetable oil, Ethel Alcohol
 Optional: Aluminum foil
 Fireplace or grill lighter
 Baking soda (1 box)
 Stopwatch
 Paper towels, moistened

Procedure
1. Unfold a paperclip to make a holder. It should look like a letter "Z" with a tail on the end.
2. Measure and cut a 1 1/2-in. piece of cotton cordage. Poke one end of the paperclip,
lengthwise, through the cotton.
3. Measure 100 milliliters (mL) of water in the liquid measuring cup and pour it into the
empty and clean soda can.
4. Place the open end of the Styrofoam cup over the top of the soda can. Poke a hole the same
diameter as the thermometer in the top of the cup over the opening in the soda can. Insert
the thermometer through the Styrofoam cup and into the soda can. The thermometer should
sit in the water, but should not touch the sides of the can. Most lab thermometers come
with a plastic fitting that slides over the body of the thermometer. Use this plastic fitting to
keep the thermometer from sliding and touching the side of the can.
5. Now set up the ring stand. Set the ring stand in a well-ventilated area and on a non-
flammable surface. There will be small flames and smoke produced during the following
 steps. Make sure that there are no flammable or combustible items nearby. Slide the
smallest ring onto the stand's post; do not tighten it yet.
6. Suck some vegetable oil into the dropper. Squeeze 35 drops onto the cotton cording on the
paperclip. Take your time and make sure that all of the oil soaks into the cotton.
7. Place the moistened cotton and paperclip on the base of the ring stand, directly under the
ring. The cotton should be 2 inches from the plane of the ring and positioned so it is vertical
to the ring stand base. Tighten the ring to the post.
8. Place the soda can and thermometer contraption so it is resting on top of the ring. If the
soda can falls through the ring, wrap some aluminum foil around the ring to reduce its
diameter. Make sure that the can sits securely on the ring.
9. Take a thermometer reading of the initial temperature of the water. Note this reading in
your lab notebook in a data table, like the one shown below.

Time
that the
Initial Water Final Water Percentage Start End
Oil Trial Cotton Observations
Temperature Temperature Change Time Time
Stayed
Lit

#1

Vegetable
#2
Oil

#3

#1

Ethyl
#2
Alcohol

#3

Petroleum #1
 Time
that the
Initial Water Final Water Percentage Start End
Oil Trial Cotton Observations
Temperature Temperature Change Time Time
Stayed
Lit

#2

#3

Kerosene #1

#2

#3

10. Now light the cotton using the fireplace lighter. Caution: Have an adult help you perform
this step. Make sure to have an open box of baking soda nearby. Baking soda can extinguish
grease fires safely if you completely cover the grease fire with the baking soda.
a. Make sure that you get a flame going. This may require that you light the cotton
from a couple of different sides.
b. Observe how easy or difficult it was to light the cotton. Note this observation in
your data table.
11. Start the stopwatch when the cotton lights. Caution: Keep away from the smoke, as it can
have an unpleasant and irritating odor.
12. Stop the stopwatch when the flame goes out. Read the temperature on the thermometer.
Watch it for a few minutes to make sure that it doesn't change. Once the temperature stops
changing, record the value in your lab notebook.
13. Gently blow out the glowing, hot cotton. Don't blow too hard or the ash will blow all over
and make a mess. Use some moistened paper towels to clean up the ash and the residual
cotton from the paperclip. Carefully remove the thermometer from the can. Pour the water
from the can into the sink. Rinse off the outside of the can. Be careful, because the soot on
the outside of the stand can stain your hands and clothes. Clean everything with the paper
 towels. Open nearby windows to drive any remaining smoke out of the room. Using a fan
will help.
14. Repeat step 2 and steps 6–13, using vegetable oil and alcohol, two additional times. Refill
the can each time with fresh, cool water. The water should be approximately the same
starting temperature (give or take 2 degrees) each time. Record all data in the data table in
your lab notebook.
15. Repeat step 2 and steps 6–13, using nonrenewable fuels, three times. Refill the can each
time with fresh, cool water. The water should be approximately the same starting
temperature (give or take 2 degrees) each time. Caution: The motor oil smoke can be
especially unpleasant and irritating, so make sure you stay away from the path of the
smoke. Record all data in your lab notebook.

Data Analysis
Analyze your data. Calculate the percent change between the initial water temperature and the
final water temperature. Equation 1 shows how to calculate the percent change between the
initial temperature and the final temperature.
Equation 1:
(final water temperature - initial water temperature)
Percent change = × 100
initial water temperature

Graph your data on a scatter plot. Label the x-axis Oil Type and the y-axis Final
Temperature. Make a second scatter plot. Label the x-axis Oil Type and the y-axis Percentage
Change in Temperature. On both of your plots, note your observations. Which oil was easier to
light? Which flame lasted longer?

Bibliography:
1. Wikipedia Contributors. (2013, April 8). Biofuel. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
Retrieved June 11, 2019, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biofuel&oldid=549383690
2. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). (2008, July 25). Learning About
Renewable Energy: Biofuels. Retrieved June 11, 2019, from
http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_biofuels.html
3. Science Buddies Staff. (2018, March 24). Burning Biofuels: Comparing Nonrenewable and
Renewable Fuels. Retrieved June 11, 2019, from https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-
fair-projects/project-ideas/Energy_p030/energy-power/burning-biofuels-comparing-
nonrenewable-and-renewable-fuels