What scientific apparatus did Dr. Wilbur Olin Atwater use to quantify the energy content locked within food samples?

Answer

Bomb calorimeter

The fundamental scientific measurement used to determine the potential energy in food involved the bomb calorimeter. This specialized apparatus functions by placing a sample of the food inside a sealed chamber filled with pure oxygen. The sample is then ignited, effectively burning it completely. The apparatus measures the precise amount of heat energy released during this combustion process. Since heat is a direct form of energy, the measurement provides a quantifiable value for the food's caloric content. Dr. Atwater and Max Rubner refined this methodology, establishing the bomb calorimeter as the gold standard for determining the energy value that was subsequently used to calculate standardized nutritional factors for macronutrients.

What scientific apparatus did Dr. Wilbur Olin Atwater use to quantify the energy content locked within food samples?

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