Edexcel IGCSE Biology · Spec 2.33B
Energy in Food Practical
Required practical: measuring the energy in a food sample by burning it to heat water, and the energy calculation.
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Energy in Food Practical
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Spec 2.33B
What you need to know
- Investigate the energy in a food sample
- Describe the burning-food method
- Calculate the energy released
Active recall
Quick check
Answer each question before opening the answer.
How do you measure the energy stored in a food sample?
Burn the food under a known volume of water and measure the temperature rise; energy = mass of water × 4.2 × temperature change.
Give one source of error in this experiment.
Heat lost to the surroundings, or incomplete combustion of the food (so the value is an underestimate).
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