CHAPTER 6: NUTRITION - Energy Value

Objective : Determining the energy value in food samples.

Problem : Do cashews nuts have higher energy value than groundnuts ?

Statement
Hypothesis : Cashews nuts have higher energy value than ground nuts.
Manipulated : Types of nut
variable
Responding : The rise in temperature of water
variable
Fixed variable : Volume of distilled water

Materials : Fresh ground nuts, fresh cashews nuts, distilled water

and matches

Apparatus : Boiling tubes, retort stand, plasticine, long pins, thermometer, electronic
weighing scale, 25ml measuring cylinder

Technique : Measure the rise in temperature by using a thermometer

Procedure : 1. A cashew nut is weighed and its weight record.
2. 20ml of distilled water is poured into a boiling tube.
3. The boiling tube is clamped to a retort stand.
4. The temperature of the distilled water in the boiling tube is recorded.
5. The pointed end of a long pin is poked into a cashew nut. The other
end of the pin is poked into a piece of plasticine.
6. The cashew nut is ignited by using a match stick and immediately
placed under the boiling tube.
7. The flame from the cashew nut is allowed to heat up the water. The
water is stirred gently by using a thermometer to distribute the heat
evenly. At the same time the rise in temperature is observed.
8. The final temperature of the water is recorded in a table.
9. The energy value of the cashew nut is calculated.
10. Steps 1 to 9 are repeated by using a groundnut.

Result : Food sample Cashew Groundnut

nut
Weight(g) 0.72 0.54
Initial temperature of water (oC) 30 30
Final temperature of water (oC) 92 74
Rise in temperature (oC) 62 44
Conclusion The energy value of cashew nut is different from the energy value of
groundnut. Cashew nut has a higher energy value than groundnut. The
hypothesis is accepted

Note : The higher the rise in temperature of water, the more the energy value
content in the food sample.
The rise in temperature for cashew nut is higher than groundnut. Therefore,
the energy value for the cashew nut is higher than the groundnut.