MEF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAM

EXTENDED ESSAY
In
CHEMISTRY
Research Question:
Is the combustion of bioethanol from fruits a better fuel source, juxtaposed to the
combustion of gasoline?
Candidate Name: Daman Dasi
Candidate Session Number:
Supervisors Name: James Rice
Examination Session:
Date of Submission:
Word Length:
ABSTRACT
This experiments purpose was to determine whether ethanol (bioethanol)
could release enough energy when combusted to be used as a fuel source
for cars and other vehicles in the future. My hypothesis was that ethanol
would have a higher energy density than gasoline and thus release more
energy, due the chemical bonding of both molecules. Ethanol has a hydrogen
bonding in addition to the Van der Waals force, while gasoline lacks the
strong hydrogen bonding. Since more energy is required to break a hydrogen
bond, consequently more energy will be released from this bond.
The variables were different the different fruits (ranging from oranges,
bananas, apples, lemons and tomatoes) used to produce the ethanol and
determine which fruit had the most ethanol yield. The constant variables
were the concentration of sugar to the fermentation process, the volume of
ethanol and gasoline tested, the temperature of the room and the mass of the
fruits used to produce ethanol. In the third part of the process, the variable
that is changing is the temperature to measure the amount of energy
released.
*Add the results and conclusion statement to this abstract after
experiment*
2
CONTENTS
Introduction ................................................................................... 4
Purpose ........................................................................................ 5
Hypothesis .................................................................................... 5
Apparatus ...................................................................................... 6
Procedure ...................................................................................... 7
Results .......................................................................................... 10
Analysis ......................................................................................... 11
Conclusion .................................................................................... 12

Limitations ........................................................................... 12

Improvements ...................................................................... 13
Bibliography .................................................................................. 14
Appendix ....................................................................................... 15
3
INTRODUCTION
With the fossil fuels running out fast, the people are looking for an alternate
source of energy. For many years, we have been dependent on the fossil
fuels and used them without a concern for the future. We used them mostly to
produce energy (in the form of electricity) and to run our vehicles. However,
when the fossil fuels were completely combusted, their by-products were
carbon dioxide and water. Water is harmless, but carbon dioxide is a
greenhouse gas, which is hazardous to the environment. On the other hand,
when fossil fuels were combusted incompletely, they produced carbon
monoxide, a very poisonous gas.
The rst step to overcome this danger of using fossil fuels was by a
Hungarian man, nyos Jedlik, who invented a miniature electric-powered car
in 1828. The next step was taken by Scottish, Robert Anderson, who built an
electric powered carriage in 1832. However, electric cars had a disadvantage
as they were quite inefcient and required long hours to recharge the battery
and the battery had low energy storage. It was then in 1908, when Ford
Motor Company invented Model T, which ran on ethanol made from corn.
Several chemical and physical properties of ethanol make it a better fuel
source for combustion when compared to gasoline (fossil fuels)
In Figure 1.1, we can see that ethanol (C"H#OH) has a hydrogen bonding (O-
H), while the gasoline molecule (C8H18) has only dispersion (Van der Waals)
forces. The amount of energy needed to break the (C-H) bond of gasoline will
be very small, as the length of a C-H bond is about 0.108 nm and the O-H
bond of ethanol has a length of 0.096 nm. This shorter length also means
stronger attraction between the oxygen and the hydrogen molecule, which
4
Figure 1.1 Chemical structure of
gasoline (left) and ethanol (right)
would result in more energy required to break that bond. According to the rst
law of thermodynamics, energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only
be changed from one form to another or transfer from one medium to
another. So the energy that is put in the bond to break it, will also be released
in another form, so since ethanol requires greater amount of energy to break
its bond, it will also release a greater amount of energy compared to gasoline.
The objective of this experiment would be to either conrm or prove wrong
about this chemical property.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to test whether the combustion of
ethanol can release enough energy to replace the fossil fuels and whether its
chemical and physical properties would allow it to be a better fuel source than
gasoline. To produce ethanol, a source is needed, so different fruits will be
tested to determine which fruit yields the most ethanol. Then the bioethanol
will be tested to calculate its energy released when combusted using a
calorimeter. Another purpose of this experiment was to test the efciency of
the fuel. The more quickly the fuel is used up, the less efciency it has. The
most efcient fuel is the one which can burn for longer period of time. This is
because, if the fuel burns too fast, then the vehicle can travel short lengths of
distances. However, if the fuel burns slowly, then that same volume of fuel will
allow the vehicle to travel longer distances. The purpose of this experiment is
to determine which fuel belongs to which category.
HYPOTHESIS
My hypothesis is that ethanol will release more energy than gasoline due to
its chemical structure and its bonding. Ethanol also has a higher octane rating
than gasoline which results in higher efciency of the fuel. The high octane
rating of ethanol will allow it to be more resistant to combustion when its
compressed in the engine and this will allow for better aerodynamics and
torque of the car. Since Ethanol has a high octane rating, I predict that under
equal volume of gasoline and ethanol, ethanol will combust longer due to its
resistance of combustion.
5
APPARATUS
The following materials and equipment were used in this experiment:
(4) Beakers (10 1mL)
(1) Distillate ask (200 1mL)
(1) Distillate ask stopper (with a single hole)
(1) Condenser stopper (with a single hole)
(1) Thermometer (-10C to 100C 0.5C)
(2) Metal support stands
(1) Ring Stand
(1) Bunsen Burner
(1) Condenser
(2) Medium-sized rubber tubes
(1) Small rubber tube
(5) 2 Liter plastic bottles
(5) Plastic straws
(1) Candle
(1) Lighter
(1) 2 kg sugar
(2) Support vice grips
(1) Electric mixer
(1) Calorimeter
(1) Graduated cylinder
*Insert a picture of the complete apparatus here*
6
PROCEDURE
Part I: Producing Ethanol
1) Obtain the fruit required to extract the ethanol from.
2) Cut it into small slices and transfer it to a mixer to grind it into paste to
increase the surface area.
3) Pour the mixture into a 2 liter bottle and add 5 mL of distilled water to get
the paste into a liquid state.
4) Transfer 100 g of sugar to increase the ethanol yield from the fruit.
5) Close the bottle and shake until the sugar completely dissolves in the
mixture.
6) Then add 5 g of yeast and close the bottle with cap.
7) Shake it until all the yeast is mixed into the solution.
8) Now open the bottle and place it inside a tub full of water at 34C
9) The bottle needs to be in that constant temperature for 3 hours, so
replacing the water every 20 minutes is required.
10) Then take the cap of the bottle and drill a hole big enough for the straw to
pass through.
11)Then put the cap (with the straw attached) back on the bottle and make
sure that one end of the straw is placed inside a glass of water to allow
carbon dioxide to escape but at the same time, to prevent other gases
from entering.
12) Obtain a lit candle and seal the hole (where the straw is) with wax to
minimize the chances of air entering.
13) Leave the bottle along with the glass near a dry place for at least 3 days
for the fermentation to complete.
7
14) Repeat the above steps for the other fruits.
Part II: Distillation of ethanol
1) After the mixture has been fermented completely, open the bottle and pour
the solution into a 200 mL distillate ask.
2) Then set up the apparatus for the distillation process.
3) Start with placing the two metal rod supports on a table along with the vice
grips attached to them.
4) Then place the ring stand near the metal rod support and place the
distillate ask on the ring stand.
5) Then move the bunsen burner under the ring stand so its directly
underneath the distillate ask.
6) Obtain a distillate ask stopper (with a single hole) and place the
thermometer inside the hole and fasten it inside the distillate ask. Make
sure the thermometer is aligned, so that the tip of the thermometer is near
the gas inlet of the ask.
7) Then proceed to set up the condenser. Obtain the two rubber tubes and
attach to each inlet of the condenser.
8) Attach one of the tubes to a water tap and the place the other tube inside
the sink for the ow of water to continue inside the condenser.
9) Next attach the condenser to the vice grip on the second metal rod support
and align it next to the distillate ask on the ring stand.
10) Then take the small tube and fasten it to the end of the gas inlet of the
distillate ask.
11) Proceed to tighten one of the ends of the condenser with a stopper (with
a single hole) and attach the small tube connected to the distillate ask to
the stopper in the condenser.
8
12) The apparatus is now complete. Proceed to placing a 10 mL beaker
underneath the condenser to collect the ethanol.
13) Ignite the bunsen burner and wait till the temperature reading on the
thermometer is at 70C. Then label another 10 mL beaker with Before
78.5C and place under the condenser.
14) When the thermometer reading reaches 78.5C, obtain another beaker
labeled At 78.5C and place under the condenser.
15) Change the beaker once the reading on the thermometer rises up to 82C
16) Stop the bunsen burner now and you should have collected pure ethanol
in the beaker labeled At 78.5C.
17) Repeated the above procedure for the extraction of ethanol from the
other fruits.
Part III: Determining the amount of energy released
1) Gather a calorimeter and transfer the 20 mL ethanol inside it.
2) To prevent heat loss to the environment, make sure the calorimeter is well
insulated.
3) Place a thermometer inside the calorimeter to record the temperature
values.
4) Since temperature is directly proportional to the energy released, the
measurement of the temperature will give values for the energy released.
5) Start the combustion of ethanol and record the values every 5 seconds
until the there is no change in the temperature values.
6) Proceed to testing the energy released by gasoline.
7) Repeat the above steps for gasoline.
9
RESULTS
*Insert the results after the experiment here*
10
ANALYSIS
*Insert the analysis after the experiment here*
11
CONCLUSION
Limitations:
*Insert the limitations after the experiment here*

12
Improvements:
*Insert the improvements after the experiment here*
13
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books:
Brown, Catrin. & Ford, Mike. 2008. Pearson Baccalaureate Chemistry.
Pearson Education Ltd.
Websites:
High Octane Rating of Ethanol. URL:
< http://journeytoforever.org/ethanol.html>
Chemical and Physical Properties of Ethanol and Gasoline. URL:
< http://www.txideafarm.com/ethanol_fuel_properties_and_data.pdf>
Chemical structure of Ethanol. URL:
< http://www.chemicalformula.org/ethanol>
Hydrogen bonding. URL:
< http://www.chemguide.co.uk/atoms/bonding/hbond.html>
History of Electric Vehicles. URL:
< http://inventors.about.com/od/estartinventions/a/History-Of-Electric-
Vehicles.htm>
First Ethanol-Run Vehicle. URL:
< http://www.fuel-testers.com/ethanol_fuel_history.html>
14
APPENDIX
*Insert all the Raw data here after experiment*
15