1        Experimental Methods

1.1       Peanut oil viscosity measurement

a.     The small ball diameter and weight were measured and recorded.

b.     The mass of the peanut oil was measured by weighing both the empty graduated cylinder and the same cylinder with peanut oil then subtracting the mass of empty cylinder from the mass of cylinder with the oil.

c.     The volume of the peanut oil used was noted. Density of the oil was calculated using the obtained mass and volume.

d.     Two marks; one near the top of the cylinder and another one near the bottom of the cylinder were made and the distance between them measured.

e.     The small ball was dropped into the oil and the stop watch was started when the bottom of the ball reached the top mark on the cylinder and stopped when the ball. reached the mark at the bottom of the cylinder.

f.      Velocity of the small ball was calculated.

g.     The experimental results were used to calculate the oil viscosity using Stokes’ equation.

h.     The above steps were repeated but this time using a bigger ball.

1.2       Flash point testing

a.     40 ml of the peanut oil was measured using a measuring cylinder and poured into the test flask.

b.     The burner was lit and put under the flask so that the flask was heated directly by the burner.

c.     The temperature was increased at equal interval and temperature reading was made with the help of a thermometer inserted into the sample peanut oil in the flask.

 

d.     When the sample temperature approached the theoretical flash point, a test flame was inserted momentarily into the vapor space.

e.     Temperature was raised gradually and every time testing the flash point using a test flame.

f.      The minimum temperature at which the vapor caught fire momentarily was recorded. This temperature was the flash point of the peanut oil.

g.     The above procedure was repeated for the corn oil.

1.3       Thermocouple

a.     The thermocouple that was prepared in the lab was used to take temperature readings in the cold water; the reference junction was left exposed to the atmosphere while the measuring junction inserted in cold water and temperature readings were taken after every 20 seconds.

b.     The above process was repeated for the hot water and the data collected were noted.

c.     The graph of temperature versus time was plotted.

d.     The above procedure was repeated for the hot water and the data collected were recorded.