Make up
Calorimetry
Lab
… get the lab tables & question
packet from your teacher first. 
Purpose:
• The purpose of this lab is to learn how the
number of calories are calculated using
foods.
Background Information
• The unit of heat measurement is called a
calorie
• calorie = the amount of energy to heat 1
gram of water 1 ˚C
• Calorie = 1000 calories / 1 kilocalorie /
(Food calorie)
• The equation used to calculate this is….
calorie = mwater C ∆ T
m = mass water
C = specific heat of water
T = temperature in ˚C
Procedures
• Collect all of your
materials at your
desk.
• Mass each of your
three foods and
record your data in
the table 1.
• Set up your
equipment
shown in the
pictures.
• Measure 100 mL
of water and pour
it into the soda
can.
• Measure the
temperature and
record in table 1.
• Light your food on fire
and allow to burn
completely…… if it
goes out then relight
until it is burned.
• When it goes out
record the
temperature of the
water now and every
30 seconds for the
next 2 minutes.
• Mass what is left
of your burnt food
item. Record the
mass in your
table.
Using the table below, calculate the ∆T and
change in mass. Record your information on the
table in the lab.
Using the equation:
calorie = m C ∆T calculate and complete the
following table in your lab writeup.
Using the “given” caloric values for each food used
calculate the percent error for each food.
• Use the equation:
% error =
given value – calculated value
______________________
X 100
given value
Graph the average kcals/g side-by-side with the
“given” values for each food. Use the following set
up for your graph.
Title – Figure 1: Average kcals/g for foods
X axis – food types
Y axis – average kcals / g
• Complete the questions for the lab and
hand the completed lab into your teacher.
