Caloric Value Definition

The caloric value is the heat or thermal units released when an item is burned. Every object that burns has a caloric value, or calories. For example, cardboard has a caloric value dependent upon how much is burned.

What Is a Calorie?

A calorie is an amount of energy that will raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius at 1 atmosphere of pressure.

Significance

The caloric value of a substance essentially is how much energy it contains and how much energy can be used from that substance. Substances of higher caloric value are better energy sources.

Misconceptions

In the Caloric Theory, heat originally was was described as a fluid, called caloric, that flowed from hotter to colder substances. This theory has been proved wrong and now is obsolete.

Considerations

The caloric value of a substance will change under greater or lesser atmospheric pressure. It is important to remember to keep experiments at room temperature (68 degrees F) and in calm air conditions.

Fun Facts

Fidgeting can burn about 350 calories a day. When Takeru Kobayashi placed second in the 2007 Hot Dog Eating Championships, he consumed more than 16,000 calories in one sitting.

References

• What Are Calories?
• Caloric Theory
• Calorie Fun Facts