Potato Chip Calorimetry Lab
How many Calories are in one potato chip?
Materials:
Ring stand
Glass beaker
Evaporating dish
Potato chip
Ring
Wire gauze
Thermometer
100 mL Graduated Cylinder
Foil
(your teacher will have a candle lighter)
Procedure:
1. Set up the ring stand with the ring and wire gauze. Line the evaporating dish with a piece of aluminum
foil, pressing the foil into the dish. Place the dish under the ring with the wire gauze.
2. Measure 100 mL of water into the beaker, and place the beaker on the wire gauze so that it is about 3
inches above the rim of the evaporating dish.
3. Place the thermometer into the water and when it has finished moving record the initial temperature =
4. Place the potato chip into the foil lined evaporating dish.
5. Ask the teacher to check your equipment setup and light the potato chip. Be sure the beaker is
centered over the potato chip. While the chip burns, slowly stir the water with the thermometer.
6. When the potato chip has finished burning completely then record the final temperature =
9. Remove the foil and potato chip remains and throw it away. Empty the water out of the beaker and
wash/scrub off the bottom of the beaker. Return all the equipment to where it belongs.
Calculations:
1. What was the change in temperature?
2. How many Calories were in the potato chip? For each degree of temperature change there was 0.1
Calories absorbed by the water.
3. How many Calories does the potato chip package say should be in a potato chip?
4. How many normal calories were in the potato chip? For each Calorie there are 1000 calories.
5. How many Joules of energy did the water absorb from the potato chip? For each calorie there is 4.18
Joules.
6. What was the percent error for this lab? Subtract your answers from calculations 3 and 2. Then divide
that answer by the answer from question 3. Finally, multiply that answer by 100.
Questions:
1. It is expected that the energy absorbed by the water from the burning potato chip will not be as much
as the heat the energy the potato chip should have given off, according to the package. Give two
reasons and explanations as to why the water did not get all the heat from the potato chip that it should
have.