Name _______________________________________Per _______Date___________
Lab Partners _________________________________________________________
Calorimetry
In this laboratory investigation, you will use the methods of calorimetry to approximate the
amount of energy contained in a chip. The burning of the chip release heat stored in the
substance contained in the chip. The heat will be absorbed by a mass of water.
Problem
How many Calories of energy does the chip contain? How can the experiment be improved to
provide a more accurate answer?
Objectives
 Identify the reactants and products in the reaction
 Measure mass and temperature in order to calculate the amount of heat released in the
reaction
 Propose changes in the procedure and design of the equipment to decrease the percent
error.
Materials
Chip, 250 mL beaker, 100 mL graduated cylinder, evaporating dish, thermometer, ring stand
with wire mesh, matches, stirring rod, balance
Safety Precautions
 Always wear safety goggles and a lab apron
 Tie back long hair
 Hot objects may not appear to be hot
 Do not heat broken, chipped or cracked glassware
 Do not eat any items used in the lab
Procedure
1. Measure the mass of the chip and record it.
2. Place the chip in an evaporating dish on the bottom of your
ring stand.
3. Set the ring and wire mesh 10 cm above your chip.
4. Measure the mass of an empty 250mL beaker and record
it.
5. Measure 50mL of water with your graduated cylinder and pour into your 250mL beaker.
Weigh the beaker with the water and record it.
6. Place beaker on the wire mesh on your ring stand.
7. Measure and record the temperature of the water.
8. Using a match, light the chip.
9. With a stirring rod, stir the water in the beaker while the chip burns. Measure the
highest temperature and record it.
Ingredient List
White Corn Tortilla Chips
Ground corn treated with lime, water, vegetable oil (cottonseed oil, corn oil, palm oil), salt
Cheetos Puffs
Enriched corn meal (corn meal, ferrous sulfate, niacin, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic
acid), vegetable oil (corn, canola and sunflower oil), cheese seasoning (whey, cheddar cheese
[milk, cheese cultures, salt enzymes]), canola oil, maltodextrin, salt, whey protein concentrate,
monosodium glutamate, natural and artificial flavors, lactic acid, citric acid, artificial color
(yellow 6), salt
Nutrition Facts
Cheetos Puffs
White Corn Tortilla
Chips
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 oz (28g/13
pieces)
Servings per container: about
10
Amount per serving
Serving Size 1 oz (28g/12
chips)
Servings per container: about
40
Amount per serving
Calories 150
Calories from Fat 90
Total Fat 10g
Calories 140
Calories from Fat 70
Total Fat 7g
Saturated Fat 1.5g
Saturated Fat 3g
Trans Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 300mg
Sodium 150mg
Total Carbohydrate 13g
Total Carbohydrate 17g
Dietary Fiber less than 1g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 1g
Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Protein 2g
Name _______________________________________Per _______Date___________
Lab Partners _________________________________________________________
Prelab
1. Form a hypothesis about how the quantity of heat produced by the combustion reaction
will compare with the quantity of heat absorbed by the water.
2. What formula will you use to calculate the quantity of heat absorbed by the water?
3. Assuming the chip contains compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen, what gases will
be produced in the combustion reaction?
Observations and Data
Mass of empty 250mL beaker
Mass of 250mL beaker with 50mL of
water
Mass of water in beaker
Mass of chip and evaporating dish before
Mass of chip and evaporating dish after
Initial temperature of water
Highest temperature of water
Postlab
Change in temperature of water
1. Is the combustion of the chip exothermic (releases heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?
Explain how you know.
2. Describe the reactants and products of the chemical reaction. Was the reactant (chip)
completely consumed? What evidence supports your answer?
3. Calculate the mass of water in the beaker and the temperature change of the water. Use
E = mcΔT to calculate how much heat is joules was transferred to the water in the
beaker by the burning of one chip.
4. From the information on the chip’s container, determine the mass in grams of one serving.
Using your data, calculate the number of Calories that would be released by the
combustion of one serving of chips. (Follow the sample problem on page 491)
5. Use the chip’s container to determine how many Calories are contained in one serving.
Compare your calculated Calories per serving with the value on the chip’s container.
Calculate the percent error.
6. Was all of the heat that was released collected by the water in the beaker? How can the
experimental equipment be improved to decrease the percent error?
7. Compare your Calories to the Calories from a lab group with a different type of chip.
Does your chip have more or less Calories? Why do you think that is?
8. You have discovered that chips provide a significant number of Calories per serving.
Would it be advisable to make chips a substantial part of your diet? Why or why not?