Energy Transformation Lab:

Counting Calories

Energy Transformation Lab: Counting Calories

• When you eat, you add energy to your system by adding material that can release potential energy via chemical reactions. We often measure that energy in a unit called a calorie.

Counting Calories (continued):

• The calorie values given for different types of food, then, represent the amount of energy (potential energy) that these foods can release when they are digested and metabolized.

Counting Calories (continued):

Counting Calories (continued):

• Our bodies are constantly transforming energy stored in various ways within the body, including the formation of fat cells. When we do physical work, for example, we can transform mechanical energy into heat energy (commonly known as burning calories). Thus when you count calories, you are counting energy intake. If your output is less than your intake, then you will gain weight. However, if your intake is less than your output, then you will lose weight.

Introduction: Energy Transformation LabCounting Calories (continued):

• If the average professional basketball player burns 70 calories for each minute played, then how many calories will that player lose during an entire game?

Procedures: Energy Transformation LabCounting Calories (continued):

• Monitor the average caloric loss of every player on each team. What information will you need to complete this task?

Procedures: Energy Transformation LabCounting Calories (continued):

• If attending the actual game:

– Enter each player’s name into a three column data table.

– Use second column to tally an approximation of each player’s playing time by observing scoreboard timer.

– Perform calories lost per minute calculations after the game is over in the third column.

Procedures: Energy Transformation LabCounting Calories (continued):

• If NOT watching the actual game:– Enter each player’s name into a three column data table.– Use second column to enter exactly each player’s playing

time by obtaining complete post game box scores.– Perform calories lost per minute calculations from the box

score data in third column.

Procedures: Energy Transformation LabCounting Calories (continued):

• Example of data table (above)• Please make sure that you allow enough rows for all of the

players.

Player’s name Minutes Played Calories burned

Mister Parr 48 3360Shaq 38

Kobe

Procedures: Energy Transformation LabCounting Calories (continued):

• Determine how many servings of each listed snack item each player will have to consume to replace calories lost during the game.

• Which snack foods provide the most calories with the least amount of servings? Least amount of bulk?

• Cut and paste screen from Nutrition Converter software to demonstrate how results may be obtained.

Procedures: Energy Transformation LabCounting Calories (continued):

• Example of data table (above) needed to display results for each player.

Name: Mister Parr Calories burned: 3360

Snack Item Calories per serving

Oz. per serving Servings @ Total Calories

Flaming Hots 190 1 1/8 oz 17.68 @ 3360

Cheetos Crunchy

180 1 1/8 oz 18.67 @ 3360

Chocolate Milk 160 1 cup 21 @ 3360

Vitner’s Cheese Kurls

140 1 1/8 oz 24 @ 3360

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

230 2 peanut butter cups

14.61 @ 3360

Fudge Brownies 280 2 12 @ 3360

Nabisco Strawberry Fruit Snacks

90 2.5 oz 37.33 @ 3360