Awards Earned: 2nd Place, 8th Life Science, PCA Science Fair 3rd Place, 8th Life Science, ACSI Science Fair

Which wood releases the most heat?

The wood that is most dense will burn the hottest and longest.

Hardwoods: Mahogany, Oak, Maple and Poplar.
Softwoods: Cedar, White Pine, Yellow Pine.

Two tin cans, wire metal grid, 50 cubic centimeters of each type of wood, stove top burner, thermometer, water, metal cutters, hammer, and a nail.

1. Cut out a section of one tin can and use a nail and hammer to make holes in the top.
2. Cut all woods to the same volume (50 cubic centimeters).
3. Measure the mass of each wood sample and calculate the wood density.
4. Put wire grid over stove top burner.
5. Put can on scale and zero it and then pour in 425 ml (1 pound) of water. Record the water temperature.
6. Put wood on wire grid and then let it burn for one minute. Then put the cut tin over the fire and then put the tin with the water over the cut tin.
7. When the wood has burned for 2 minutes, measure and record the temperature.
8. Measure and record the temperature also at 4, 6, 8 minutes and every 2 minutes thereafter until the wood stops burning.
9. Repeat each test a second time.
10. Compare the total average burn time and calories to the wood density.

Oak, which was the most dense wood, burned hottest and longest.

My hypothesis was correct. Oak was the most dense and it burned the hottest and the longest. In general, the hardwoods, which were denser than the softwoods, burned hotter and longer. One exception was that the hardwood Poplar was denser than the softwood White Pine, but the White Pine burned hotter. Perhaps the dried pine sap caused this result.

My experiment attempted to show which wood produces the most heat. In the Bible, the most amazing burning wood was when Moses saw the burning bush, but it did not burn.

Exodus 3:2 says, “And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.

This verse is a good example because when we burn wood the wood will burn out, but God never fails and He will keep on going.

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