Calorimetry Lab: Burning a Cheeto!

Introduction:
The evening before a marathon, runners are advised to eat a huge plate of pasta. Why? Because pasta, a carbohydrate, is a
terrific source of energy (fuel) for the body. Different foods contain varying amounts of energy, which is calculated and
marked as Calories on a nutrition label. In other words, Calories are a convenient way to measure the energy you get from
the food you eat.

In this activity, you will find out how Calories on nutrition labels are measured as well as how the scientific energy unit
(Joule) is calculated. You will use the methods of calorimetry to do this. You will calculate the amount of heat energy (in
Joules) and food energy (in Calories) contained in a Cheeto! The burning of a Cheeto releases heat stored in the
carbohydrates and fats making up the Cheeto. When you eat a Cheeto, your body performs the chemical reactions
necessary to release the energy stored in the carbohydrates and fats. In lab, however, you will actually light the cheeto on
fire and burn the Cheeto so that the hydrocarbons in the carbs and fats undergo combustion! The heat from the Cheeto will
be absorbed by a known mass of water in a calorimeter. Remember: Energy is always conserved as stated by the Law of
Conservation of Energy! Therefore, the energy given off by the Cheeto equals the energy gained by the water...pretty
simple!

Materials:
Cheeto (3) Ring Stand w/ Ring

Soft Drink Can Glass Stirring Rod

Graduated Cylinder Paper Clip

Thermometer Matches

Balance Goggles

Safety Precautions:
Always wear safety goggles and tie back long hair because you will be working with an open flame. Do not touch the
coke can with your hands because hot objects may not appear to be hot! Also, never eat any items used in lab.

Procedure:
1. Measure 200.0 mL of water into a graduated cylinder. Pour the water from the graduated cylinder into an empty
soft drink can. Record both volume of water and mass of water in the data table.

2. Use a thermometer to measure the initial temperature of the water as accurately as possible to the nearest ℃.
Record this initial temperature of the water in the data table. LEAVE THE THERMOMETER IN THE CAN.
Note: make sure the temperature has stopped rising/falling before making your temperature reading!
3. Tare the mass of a 3x5 index card using the balance. Next, measure the mass of a WHOLE Cheeto, and record
this mass of the Cheeto in the data table.
 4. Place the Cheeto on the support stand (the paper clip on TOP of the index card), and position it underneath the
soda can so that the Cheeto is about 2-3 cm from the bottom of the soda can.

5. Use a match to ignite the Cheeto itself. Lab members: Be ready with another match in case it does not light with
one match.

6. AS SOON AS the Cheeto stops burning, carefully stir the water with the thermometer, and measure the final
temperature of the water to the nearest ℃. Remember to make sure the temperature has stopped rising before
taking a reading. Record the final temperature of the water in the data table.

7. Allow the Cheeto residue (ash) to cool, and then measure the Cheeto residue’s mass using the balance. Record
this mass of Cheeto residue in the data table. Note: Do not set the black Cheeto residue on the balance! Use an
index card, and tare the balance so that the index card is not included in the mass of the Cheeto residue.

8. Calculate the mass of the actual Cheeto burned, record this mass in the data table.

9. Empty the water from the soda can. Repeat steps 1-8 for two additional trials and find the averages for your
collected data.

10. Clean up the lab station.

Data Table:
Trial #1 Trial #2 Trial #3 Average

Brand of Cheeto Calories from label: Grams in a serving N/A

160 from label: 28g

Mass of Cheeto 1.51g 1.52g 1.33g 1.453

Before Burning (grams)

Mass of Cheeto Residue .16g .67g 0.10g 0.31g

After Burning (grams)

Mass of Cheeto 1.35g 0.85g 1.23g 1.143g

Actually Burned (grams)

Volume of Water (mL) 200mL 200mL 200mL 200mL

Mass of Water (grams) 200g 200g 200g 200g

Initial Temperature of 21 degrees celsius 22 degrees celsius 22 degrees celsius 21.7

Water ℃

Final Temperature of 32.5 degrees celsius 31.5 degrees celsius 30.5 degrees celsius 31.5
Water ℃

Conclusion/Analysis Questions:
1. Was burning the Cheeto an exothermic or endothermic process? [ Exothermic ] What about the water heating
up? [ Endothermic ]

2. What type of chemical reaction occurred? [ Combustion reaction ]

3. The SI unit for heat energy is the [ joule (J) ]. Another commonly used heat energy unit is the [ Calorie ]. The
unit for [ food energy ] is the [ Calorie ]. Be careful of capitalization!

4. Water’s specific heat in terms of Joules is [ 4.186 joule ]. Water’s specific heat in terms of calories is [ 1
calorie/gram ]. Remember unis with these numerical values!

5. The heat energy from the burning Cheeto was primarily transferred to the [ soda can ]. Thus, we assume the
heat energy given off from the Cheeto equals the heat energy gained by the [ water ]. We know this because of
the [ the steam that is cause when the water bails ].

6. Calculate how much heat (in Joules) that was transferred to the water by the burning Cheeto.

133.4 J

7. Convert the quantity of heat in Joules to calories of heat that was transferred to the water by the burning Cheeto.
(1 calorie = 4.184 J)

1.09 g

8. Convert the quantity of heat in calories to Calories of heat that was transferred to the water by the burning Cheeto.
(1 Calorie = 1000 caloires)

9. Calculate the number of Calories per gram of the Cheeto burned in lab. Experimental or accepted value?
[ Accepted Value ]

10. Using the Cheeto bag label, determine the Calories per gram of Cheetos. Experimental or accepted value?
[ Experimental value ]

11. Compare your experimentally calculated Calories per gram with the accepted value of Calories per gram on the
Cheeto’s label. Using this information, calculate the percent error.

12. Was all of the heat that was released by the burning Cheeto actually collected by the water in the calorimeter?
Explain. [ ]
13. How can the experiment be improved to decrease the percent error? List two ways. [ Percent error can be
reduced by improving both you accuracy and precision the two ways I picked were, Temperature difference and
exposure to air. ]