Class: BE210
Group: T7
Members:
Chen
Hsieh
Marsh
Silverstein
Date: April 2004
Abstract:
A volume-constant calorimeter is a device which places a substance into an oxygen rich environment, and, through the use of a fuse wire, it ignites the environment to create a combustion reaction. The reaction occurs in an oxygen combustion chamber that is submerged in a water bath. The temperature change of the water is used to find the total energy/caloric output of the system. One calorie is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius at one atmosphere pressure. In food and diets, one Calorie = 1000 calories and is a measure of the energy-producing potential. The more calories a diet contains, the more energy it provides. Saccharomyces needs the energy from calories to grow, live, and multiply. The three components that were tested for caloric content were dextrose, peptone, and yeast extract. Dextrose is a refined sugar from cornstarch and can be the main source of energy. Peptone is formed by hydrolysis of a protein. These water-soluble compounds are usually formed during digestion. Yeast extract is also water-soluble used for culture media and has a high concentration of carbohydrates.