Biology Experiment

Aim To determine and compare the energy content in white bread and peanuts
Problem statement Which food sample has higher energy content?

Hypothesis The energy value in peanut is higher than the energy content in white bread.
Variables
variables Operating the variables
Manipulated : How to alter manipulated variable?
The type of food Use different types of food.
sample used
Responding : How to determine the responding variable?
The energy value / Calculate and record the energy value of food samples using formula, or
content in food sample
Or, change in the Measure and record the temperature using thermometer.
temperature
Fixed : How to maintain the fixed variable?
Volume of water or, Use the same volume of water or,
The mass of food Use the same mass of food sample
sample
Material Distilled water, peanut, white bread, cotton wool, plasticine
Apparatus Electronic balance, pin, thermometer, boiling tube, retort stand, measuring cylinder, Bunsen burner
Technique used Measure and record the final water temperature using a thermometer.
procedure 1. Weight the peanut and record its weight.
2. Fill a boiling tube with 20ml of distilled water.
3. Clamp the boiling tube to the retort stand.
4. Record the initial temperature of the water in the boiling tube.
5. Spike the peanut firmly at the end of the pin which is mounted on some plasticine.
6. Ignite the peanut by holding it in the flame of a Bunsen burner. Then immediately place it beneath the boiling tube to heat the
water.
7. Stir the water gently with the thermometer.
8. Record the final temperature, that is, the highest temperature reached as soon as the peanut stopped burning.
9. Calculate the energy value of the peanut using the formula below :
Energy value = Mass of water x specific heat capacity of water x increase in temperature
Mass of food
10. Tabulate the results in the table below.
Presentation of Table :
data Food sample Increase in water temperature (˚c) Energy value (j)
White bread 5 84
Peanut 11 184.8
Calculation :
Mass of water x specific heat capacity of water x increase in temperature
Mass of food
White bread = 20g x 4.2 Jg-1 ˚C-1 x (34 – 29) = 420 = 84 Jg-1
5g 5
Peanut = 20g x 4.2 Jg ˚C x (40 - 29) = 924 = 184.8 Jg1
-1 -1
5g 5-
(August test form 4 2010)
Question asked 1. Observation A: the final temperature of the water after the white bread is completely burned is 34 ˚C.
2. Reason A: increase in temperature after white bread is completely burned is lower because oxidizing of white bread release less
energy.
3. Observation B: the final temperature of the water after the white bread is completely burned is 40 ˚C.
4. Reason B: increase in temperature after peanut is completely burned is higher because oxidizing of peanut release more energy.
5. Relationship between food class and energy value of each food sample: white bread contain carbohydrates and peanut
contain protein. Energy value of white bread is lower compare to peanut.
6. What can you deduce (define operationally) from this experiment? Energy value is heat energy release by 1g of white bread /
peanut to increase the temperature of water by 5˚C / 11˚C.
7. Predict the observation (if using a cashew nut) : energy value of cashew nut is >184.8 Jg 1 , higher than the peanut’s because it
contains more fat.
Conclusion The hypothesis is accepted.

Aim To determine the concentration of vitamin C in different fruit juices?
Problem statement Which fruit juice contains a higher concentration / percentage of vitamin C?
hypothesis Guava juice has more concentration of vitamin C than lime juice and pineapple juice.
variables variables Operating the variable

Manipulated variable: How to alter manipulated variables?
The type of fruit juice Use different type of fruit juices
Responding variable: How to determine the responding variable?
The concentration of vitamin C in Calculate and record the concentration of vitamin C in different fruit juices using
different fruit juices formula
Fixed variable: How to maintain the fixed variable?
The volume of DCPIP solution in the test Use the same volume of DCPIP solution
tube
Material Guava juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, 1% of DCPIP (dichlorophenolindophenol)solution and ascorbic acid
Apparatus 1 ml syringe, 5 ml syringe, test tube
Technique used Calculate and record the concentration of vitamin C in different fruit juices using formula :
Percentage of vitamin C = volume of 1.0% ascorbic acid solution x 1.0
in fruit juice volume of fruit juice
concentration of vitamin C = volume of 1.0% ascorbic acid solution x 1.0 mg cm-3

Procedure 1. Fill a test tube with 1ml of DCPIP solution using a 1 ml syringe.
2. Fill a 5 ml syringe with 0.1% ascorbic acid solution.
3. Place the needle of the syringe into the DCPIP solution.
4. Add the ascorbic acid solution into the DCPIP drop by drop, stirring gently with the syringe needle. Continue adding the
ascorbic acid solution until the DCPIP solution becomes colourless. Record the volume of ascorbic acid solution used.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 using freshly squeezed lime juice, pineapple and guava juice. Each time, record the volume of fruit juice
required to decolourise the DCPIP solution.
6. Tabulate the result. Calculate the percentage and then the concentration of vitamin C in each of the fruit juices using the
formula below:
Percentage of vitamin C = volume of 1.0% ascorbic acid solution x 1.0

concentration of vitamin C = volume of 1.0% ascorbic acid solution x 1.0 mg cm-3

Presentation of data
Solution/fruit juice Volume of solution or fruit juice needed to decolourise Vitamin C concentration in fruit juice
1 ml of DCPIP solution (mg cm-3)
Ascorbic acid solution
Lime juice
Pineapple juice
Guava juice
Question asked 1. What reaction causes the DCPIP solution to decolorize?
2. Explain why the specimen tubes containing the DCPIP solution should not be shaken when the ascorbic acid and the fruit
juice are being added.
Because vitamin C is easily oxidized when being shaken.
3. Which of the fruit juices contains the highest concentration of ascorbic acid?
Guava juice
4. What will happen to the vitamin C content in the fruit juices if they are exposed to air for a day?
They are oxidized completely.
5. How would you maintain the vitamin C concentration in canned fruit juices?
Conclusion The hypothesis is accepted.

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Aim To determine and compare the energy content in white bread and peanuts

Problem statement Which food sample has higher energy content?

Conclusion The hypothesis is accepted.

variables variables Operating the variable

concentration of vitamin C = volume of 1.0% ascorbic acid solution x 1.0 mg cm-3

Percentage of vitamin C = volume of 1.0% ascorbic acid solution x 1.0

concentration of vitamin C = volume of 1.0% ascorbic acid solution x 1.0 mg cm-3

Conclusion The hypothesis is accepted.

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