Measuring Food Energy

We investigate the amount of energy stored in maize snacks and peanuts by burning them. The food is placed under an aluminium beaker of water before being set alight and the temperature change of the water is recorded. We can compare the temperature changes to see which type of food stores more energy. Chemistry - Chemical Industries - Learning Points. Our bodies gain energy from food during respiration, using oxygen. Combustion also uses oxygen to release energy from food. The energy released during combustion can be measured by transferring the heat to a beaker of water and recording the temperature change. Some heat is lost to the surroundings when using this method. A Twig Experiment Film. Let students experience real experiments in lab conditions anywhere, from setup, method all the way through to analysis and real-world application.