Question

I performed an energy content experiment the other day using a rudimentary bomb calorimeter. The experiment was comparing for the energy release of a sugary food (Arnott's Tiny Teddies) to the energy release of a starchy food (Water Cracker).

It was observed that the starchy food was much easier to ignite and was kept alight for longer. The sugary food needed a lot more heat to ignite and didn't stay alight for as long.

In the results it was found that the starchy food released less energy per mass compared to the the sugary food.

Is there any obvious reason why the starchy and sugary foods burn this way and release these relative amounts of energy? I assume it may be due to the chain structure of amylose/amylopectin compared to the smaller structure of sucrose, but I'm not 100% sure.

Thanks!

Answer 1

The starchy food ignites easily and burns for a longer duration due to its chain structure, while the sugary food requires more heat to ignite and burns quickly.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference in the ease of ignition and duration of burning between the starchy food (Water Cracker) and the sugary food (Arnott's Tiny Teddies) can be attributed to their chemical composition. Starch is made up of long chains of sugar molecules, while sugar has smaller structures.

Due to the chain structure of starch, it is easier to break down and ignite, resulting in a sustained burn. On the other hand, the smaller structure of sugar requires more heat to ignite and burns relatively quickly.