“Flamin Hot “Cheetos Lab

Food contains the stored energy you need to do homework, play video games, do chores and even talk on the phone! Your body digests (burns) what you eat to release this “fuel”. By measuring the temperature change of 50mL of water, you can calculate the energy released from the food.

1. Title: “Flamin Hot “Cheetos Lab

2. Question/Purpose: Can you measure the amount of Thermal Energy released by

“Flamin Hot “Cheetos?

3. Hypothesis: If….

Then, ……

4. Materials: Apron, Goggles, Large paper clip, Cheetos (5 pieces), small pie pan, metric balance 100 mL graduated cylinder, water, 125 mL flask, utility clamp, ring stand, thermometer, wood splint, matches, stop watch.

5. Procedure:

a. Straighten out the paper clip and make a Cheetos kabob, using all 5 pieces. Balance your cheetos kabob on top of the small pie pan. Use the balance to measure the mass of the pan and its contents, record this data in the table.

b. Add 50mL of water to the flask. Clamp the flask on the ring stand about 5 cm above the base. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the water. Record this data in the table.

c. Place the pan (with cheetos kabob) under the flask, on top of the base. Ignite the wood splint with the match. Use the burning splint to ignite the cheetos.

BLOW OUT THE MATCH, put it in the BURNT Matches beaker by the

FUME HOOD, (along with your burnt matches).

d. Let the cheetos burn for 2 minutes. Record the temperature of the water, Record this data in the table.

e. LET EVERYTHING COOL OFF, then use the balance to determine the mass of the pan and its contents after the release of energy Record this data in the table.

6.  Results: Write a paragraph about what happened and label it Results.

7.  Table

Mass (g)Before / Mass (g)After / Temperature (C) Before / Temperature (C)After

Now calculate the heat released when the cheetos are burned.

Energy released = energy absorbed

Energy absorbed = temperature change of

Water ✕ mass of water ✕ specific heat of water

Q = (Tf – Ti) ✕ m ✕ 1 cal/g

8.  Discussion Questions: (Incorporate the question within the answer)

Answer the following three questions:

1. In order to calculate the amount of energy released, what information is needed?

2. What happened to the energy that was not absorbed by the water?

3. What was the difference in the mass, after the cheetos kabob burned?

9. Conclusion:

a. Was your Hypothesis Correct or Incorrect?

b. Evidence Statement.

c. Future plans.