Food Calorimeter
Product Code : EL-BLE-10620
Quick answer: The food calorimeter is a classroom kit for finding the energy content of food: a small food sample is burned beneath a flask of water, and the rise in water temperature is used to calculate the energy released. It includes a metal suspension plate, rubber stopper, cork and nail sample holder, 25 mL Erlenmeyer flask and cylindrical metal stand. Lab Exports manufactures it in Delhi for schools, colleges and universities.
Specifications
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Method | Temperature change of a water sample heated by a burning food sample |
| Flask | 25 mL Erlenmeyer flask |
| Sample holder | Cork and nail food sample holder |
| Support | Metal suspension plate and cylindrical metal stand |
| Closure | Rubber stopper |
| Learning focus | Thermodynamics and the energy content of food |
A thermometer and a balance, which are not part of the listed kit, are needed to take the readings.
How the food calorimeter experiment is done
Food stores chemical energy, and burning a sample releases that energy as heat. If the heat is caught by a known mass of water, the energy can be calculated from Q = m x c x (T2 - T1), where m is the mass of water in grams, c is the specific heat capacity of water (4.18 J per gram per °C) and T2 - T1 is the rise in water temperature. Dividing Q by the mass of food burned gives the energy per gram.
- Pour a measured volume of water into the 25 mL Erlenmeyer flask and record its starting temperature.
- Weigh a small piece of dry food, such as a nut or a piece of cracker, and fix it on the nail of the cork holder.
- Hang the flask in the metal suspension plate on the cylindrical stand, directly above the food sample.
- Ignite the food, place it under the flask and let it burn completely.
- Record the highest water temperature, reweigh any unburned residue and calculate the energy released per gram.
Results are always lower than the values printed on food labels, because some heat escapes to the air and the flask, and some food does not burn completely. Discussing these losses is a useful part of the lesson and leads on to how a sealed bomb calorimeter gives more accurate values.
Key features
- Complete kit: suspension plate, stopper, cork and nail holder, flask and stand
- 25 mL Erlenmeyer flask for a small, quickly heated water sample
- Cork and nail holder keeps the burning sample steady under the flask
- Cylindrical metal stand supports the flask above the sample
- Simple temperature-change method suited to class practicals on food energy
Documentation and supply
Instructions for use are supplied with the apparatus. Most Lab Exports products carry a one-year manufacturer warranty.
Lab Exports manufactures the food calorimeter at its works in Laxmi Nagar, Delhi, and supplies it to schools, colleges and universities in India and 60+ countries, handling the export documents for each shipment. More about the company is on the About Lab Exports page.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the food calorimeter measure?
It measures the energy released when a small food sample burns, found from the temperature rise of a known amount of water in the flask.
What is included in the food calorimeter kit?
A metal suspension plate, a rubber stopper, a cork and nail food sample holder, a 25 mL Erlenmeyer flask and a cylindrical metal stand.
Why are the results lower than food label values?
Some heat is lost to the surroundings and some food does not burn completely, so the measured energy is less than the true value.
What is the price of the food calorimeter?
Prices are not published on the website. Add the food calorimeter to the Enquiry Cart with the Add To Cart button on this page, or email [email protected] with the house code EL-BLE-10620 and the quantity, to receive a quotation.
Does Lab Exports manufacture the food calorimeter?
Yes. Lab Exports manufactures the food calorimeter at its works at 11/315, Lalita Park, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi 110092, under house code EL-BLE-10620.
Request a quote
Email [email protected] with the house code EL-BLE-10620 and the quantity, or add the food calorimeter to the Enquiry Cart with the Add To Cart button on this page. Tender buyers can also see the Tenders and OEM page.
