Renewable Energy

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 07.05.03

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction
  2. Part I: Atomic Inventory and Classification of Matter
  3. Part II: Nomenclature and Reactions
  4. Part III: Global Warming and Stoichiometry
  5. Part IV: The Energy Potential of Biodiesel
  6. Sample Activity 1
  7. Sample Activity 2
  8. Sample Activity 3
  9. Sample Activity 4
  10. Implementing District Standards
  11. Annotated Bibliography
  12. Suggested Additional Readings for Educators and Students

Environmentalists and Chemists Unite: A Chemistry Class for our Changing World

Cherisse Campbell

Published September 2007

Tools for this Unit:

Sample Activity 3

(Part IV: The Energy Potential of Biodiesel)

Preparing Biodiesel

  • Add 200 mL of clean vegetable oil to a 500 mL Erlenmeyer flask.
  • Slowly add 2 mL 9 M NaOH to 30 mL of methanol (CH 3OH).
  • Stir for 2 minutes to make sodium methoxide (Na +CH 3O -).
  • Add the Na +CH 3O - to the vegetable oil.
  • Stir for 10 minutes.
  • Transfer this mixture to a separatory funnel and allow the layers to separate. The biodiesel should be on top and the glycerol should be on the bottom.
  • Drain off the bottom layer into a beaker and set aside.
  • Add 20 mL of distilled water to the separatory funnel. Mix, and then allow the mixture to separate.
  • Drain the bottom layer again into a beaker and set aside.
  • Add an additional 20 mL of distilled water to the separatory funnel. Mix, and allow the mixture to separate overnight.
  • Finally, drain your biodiesel into an Erlenmeyer flask and cover.

Testing Biodiesel

  • Prepare a soda can calorimeter by punching holes in the sides of the can and sliding a glass stirring rod through the holes.
  • Suspend the soda can on a ring attached to a ring stand by resting the stirring rod on the sides of the ring.
  • Add 10 mL of biodiesel diesel oil to an alcohol burner.
  • Place the alcohol burner under your can and lower the can so that it is about 2 cm above the wick of the burner.
  • Add 100 g of water to the can.
  • Measure the initial temperature of the water.
  • Light the burner and periodically stir the water.
  • Record the temperature of the water every minute for 20 minutes.
  • On your data table, circle the maximum temperature that the water reaches.
  • Repeat this procedure, using standard diesel oil and fresh water in your beaker.

Analysis:

  • How did the energy generated from burning biodiesel compare to the energy generated by burning standard diesel? Use: Q = mc pDT. How does that impact how much of each fuel you might have to use in your car to get the same result?
  • Compare the CO 2 generated from burning 100 g biodiesel (C 1 9H 3 6O 2) to burning an energy equivalent amount of standard diesel (C 1 6H 3 4).

Comments:

Ayla Arsel Wilk

March 22, 2022 at 11:58 pm

This is incredible!

Thank you so much for preparing this curriculum! I have been looking for a way to better integrate Earth Science into my school's project-based curriculum and this is exactly the type of resource I would need to do so! I would be very interested in hearing more about how you prepared and tested this curriculum, and would love to collaborate on future curriculum projects!

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