How to Make an Oil Calorimeter for a Science Fair

A calorimeter is a device used to measure the amount of calories in a certain food. A calorimeter works by capturing the released heat energy from the food with a liquid that has a high capacity for absorbing heat, like oil. To calculate the amount of calories in a selection of food, you have to measure the temperature of the oil before and after burning the food item. This increase multiplied by the mass of the oil will give you the amount of energy, or calories, captured by the calorimeter.

Things You'll Need

• Large tin can
• Small tin can
• Pencil
• Cork
• Needle
• Pliers
• Can opener
• Hammer
• Nail
• Cooking oil
• Marshmallow
• Lighter
• Thermometer
• Scale
• Heat-resistant gloves

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Instructions

• 1

  Remove the top and bottom of your large can and the top of the small can using a can opener. Make eight holes along the bottom edge of the large can using a hammer and a nail.

• 2

  Create two holes on opposite sides of the small can about one-fourth of the way down using a hammer and nail. The holes should be big enough for your pencil to fit through. Place the pencil through the small can and place the small can inside the large can. The small can should be raised inside the can, supported by the pencil resting on the edges of the large can. Remove the small can from the large can.

• 3

  Weigh the empty small can and record this figure. Fill the small can about halfway with cooking oil. Weigh the can with the oil and record this figure. Subtract the empty can figure from the filled can figure and record this number; this is how much the oil weighs. Use the thermometer to determine the temperature of the oil, and write it down.

• 4

  Stick the blunt end of the needle into the cork. Weigh the marshmallow and record the value. Stick the marshmallow onto the sharp end of the needle.

• 5

  Light the marshmallow with a lighter, place the large can over the cork, and place the small can with oil over the top of the large can. The small can should be balanced just above the flame.

• 6

  Allow the marshmallow to burn until the flame goes out. Put on your gloves, remove the small can, stir the oil, and measure and record the temperature of the oil. Measure the weight of the burned marshmallow remains.

• 7

  Calculate the increase in temperature of the oil by subtracting the initial temperature from the temperature after burning. Multiply this figure by the weight of the oil. This figure will give you the number of calories captured by the calorimeter.