Is a Denser Fruit Healthier?

This idea came from http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/does-density-indicate-nutrition/

Problem:

Does a fruit/vegetable’s density indicate its nutritional value? Students will measure the densities of various fruits and vegetables to determine if there is a relationship between density and nutritional value.

Materials:

• Various fruits & vegetables
• Scale (g)
• 500-1000mL graduated cylinder (wide mouth)
• Water

Procedure:

1. Choose at least 10 fruits and vegetables to sample.
2. Using your background research create a chart of each sample’s nutritional value.
3. Weigh each of your samples record in grams.
4. Fill a 500-1000mL graduated cylinder ½ way with water and record the volume.
5. Place the sample into the graduated cylinder so that it is submerged in the water.
6. Measure the volume of the water and submerged object.
7. Repeat for each object.
8. From the weight and displacement measurements calculate: volume, mass, and density.
9. Compare the densities to the nutritional content from your table. Choose at least 5 nutrients to compare. Each nutrient can be compared individually since some fruits will contain nutrients not found in other foods. Create a graph comparing food density and nutrient content using an X,Y scatter plot.