Burning Biofuels

Overview

Objectives/Goals The goal of this project was to determine if the energy in renewable fuel is equivalent to the energy in the same amount of non-renewable fuel. Methods/Materials Measure the temperature change over time in water as it is heated using renewable fuel and non-renewable fuel. Using a ring stand, stop watch, thermometer, aluminum can, pipette, cotton cordage to absorb fuel, lighter, vegetable oil, and motor oil. Results The amount of energy in non-renewable fuel proved to be greater than the energy in the same amount of renewable fuel because the motor oil heated the water at a rate of .28 degrees (F)/s, while the vegetable oil heated the water at a rate of .21 degrees (F)/s. However, the motor oil was only greater by 7 hundredths of a degree per second. Conclusions/Discussion Repeated trials of non-renewable and renewable fuels show them to be comparable sources of energy, differing by output of 7 hundredths of a degree per second. This means that renewable fuels can provide a reasonable alternative to non-renewable fossil fuels.

Competition history

• CSEF 2016 Chemistry · Entry J0617

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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