Titrating Medium Roast Starbucks and Folgers Solution to Measure and Compare the

Number of Moles of Acetic Acid

Gabriel Bialek, Olivia Hagan, Daniel Hurley

Macomb Mathematics Science Technology Center

Honors Chemistry Section 10A

Mrs. Dewey / Mrs. Hilliard / Mr. Supal

23 May 2018
 Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………1

Review of Literature…………………………………………………………………………….3

Problem Statement....................................................................................................…...8

Experimental Design……………………………………………………………………………9

Data and Observations………………………………………………………………….….…12

Data Analysis and Interpretation………………………………………………………….….16

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………...23

Appendix A: Safety Precautions……………………………………………………….……..26

Appendix B: Brewing Coffee………………………………………………………………….27

Appendix C: Calculating Moles of Acetic Acid…………………………………………...…28

Appendix D: Two-Sample t Test Formula and Sample Calculation…………………...…29

Works Cited………………………………………………………………………………….....30
 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 1

Introduction

In an increasingly hygienic and health conscious society, many have concerns on

their habits of consumption. One of these habits being their morning coffee, in which

about 50% of the U.S. population, approximately 150 million people, consume, on

average, 3.1 cups of coffee daily (“Coffee Statistics.”). With such a vast amount of

people drinking coffee, it is important that consumers understand what varied brands of

coffee can do to one’s health and oral care. Coffee is a major factor of dental health

because coffee increases the chance for cavities, causes halitosis or bad breath, and

can cause teeth discoloration which no person wants (“How Coffee Affects Your Dental

Health.”). One distinct factor can be the various degrees of activity to each brand of

coffee, affecting one’s teeth structure and complexion. The purpose of this experiment

was to determine the moles of acetic acid in Starbucks and Folgers and compare them

in order to inform consumers on which brand is more acidic.

The two coffee brands used in this experiment were chosen based on their

relevance in the consumer market, with The Starbucks Corporation being the leading

coffee chain for out-of-home coffee with a 39.8% market traffic in the industry (“Market

Share of Major Chains”), and The Folger Coffee Co. being a leading vendor in the

United States for ground coffee having sales estimated at 1.21 billion U.S. dollars

annually (“Leading Regular Ground Coffee Vendors”). Medium roast coffee beans were

used for each brand to remain consistent and neutral between types of coffee, as it is

considered the “regular” or “traditional” coffee type by both of the brands. Each brand

was brewed using the same coffee maker and was titrated using a 0.2 M NaOH (sodium

hydroxide) titrant solution. During the titration, a pH probe was used to measure the pH
 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 2

of the coffee solution and the equivalence point was then found using the LoggerPro

software. Stoichiometry was then used to calculate the moles of acetic acid in the coffee

solution. The data was analyzed using a two sample t tests, and descriptive statistics,

which were used to determine which brand is more acidic.

Special interest was shown in this area because it has not been extensively

researched before. Other researchers determined the number of moles of different

types of acids in other solutions such as pop and coffee cleaners, but not in specific

coffee brands. By collecting data in this experiment, the researchers hoped to inform

consumers on which coffee brand to drink based on acidity. This information on coffee

helps the consumers, as they can see which coffee brand would have the greater

negative effect on their dental health.

 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 3

Review of Literature
The purpose of this research experiment was to determine the molarity, M, of

acetic acid (CH3COOH) found in medium roast Starbucks and Folgers coffee. The

results of the experiment determined which coffee brand was the most acidic. Medium

roast is used to keep the type of roasts uniform throughout the whole experiment, as the

different types of roasts are not being compared. The researchers analyzed only the

different coffee brands to each other.

The two different coffee brands were chosen in regard to how popular they are in

the United States. In America, approximately 50% of the population or approximately

150 million people consume around 3.1 cups of coffee daily (“Coffee Statistics.”). The

Starbucks Corporation being the leading coffee chain for out-of-home coffee with a

39.8% market traffic in the industry (“Market Share of Major Chains”), and The Folger

Coffee Co. being a leading vendor in the United States for ground coffee having sales

estimated at 1.21 billion U.S. dollars annually (“Leading Regular Ground Coffee

Vendors”). Thus, the two coffee brands were chosen based on popularity and relevance

in the consumer market.

From these two coffee brands chosen, the structure and the roasting of the

medium roast coffee bean was analyzed to see how much acetic acid the coffee bean

produces. Overall carbohydrates make up roughly 50% of the coffee’s dry total weight.

The most important of them all, sucrose makes up 6-9% of the coffee bean’s

composition (“Unlocking Coffee's Chemical Composition: Part 2.”). Its role during

roasting is important as it actively participates in the Maillard Reaction, which is found

commonly in all thermally processed foods. Proteins which are composed of amino
 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 4

acids (“Protein in Coffee.”) also play a huge role as it makes up 10-13% of the coffee

bean’s composition and it also actively participates in the Maillard Reaction. When the

coffee beans are introduced to heat of the roaster, these proteins and carbohydrates

such as sucrose as mentioned previously, profuse, in which the reaction is called the

Maillard Reaction (Handground). The Maillard Reaction is a chemical reaction between

an amino acid and a reducing sugar, usually requiring the addition of heat. Specifically,

the Maillard Reaction occurs in three stages. The first step in the Maillard Reaction is

when the carbonyl group on a sugar reacts with a protein or amino acid’s amino group,

producing an N-substituted glycosylamine. Then, the unstable glycosylamine undergoes

Amadori rearrangement, forming ketosamines. Finally, the ketosamines produce

compounds such as acetic acid (“Why Does Food Brown When Cooked.”). Acetic acid

is then formed from all of this when carbohydrates of six to ten carbons in length are

broken into smaller fragments including acetic acid under the Maillard Reaction

explained above in the paragraph (“The Chemistry of Organic Acids in Coffee: Part 3.”).

Visually, Figure 1 below shows what happens during the Maillard Reaction.

Figure 1. The Maillard Reaction (“Why Does Food Brown When Cooked.”)

Figure 1 above shows a visual and a description as to what happens during the

Maillard Reaction.
 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 5

Elevation is a key factor as well to compare which coffee brands have more

acetic acid in them. PBS contacted Folgers for information on where they grow their

coffee, and a representative said, that the coffee was “grown in different mountainsides

where the altitudes are high…. Folgers uses coffee beans that are grown in Ethiopia

and Mexico around 6,000 feet.” (“Behind the Beans: Folgers.”). Starbucks grows their

coffee at lower elevations in Latin America around 4,500 feet (Pashman). Elevation is a

key part in the acidity because the sugar concentration of coffee beans is affected;

higher elevations allow the coffee bean’s maturation time to slow down and in result

develop complex sugars. The drainage going down the mountain also assists in the

maturation time by reducing the amount of water that the coffee bean absorbs, allowing

for a stronger concentration of sugars inside the coffee bean (Ferguson-Quilter). With

greater concentrations of sugars, the Maillard Reaction produces a greater amount of

acetic acid, explaining why Folgers has a larger concentration of acetic acid on average.

The method that was used to test the acidity in the two coffee brands was an

acid-base titration method. This method is used to determine the unknown

concentration of an acid by neutralizing the sample with a known concentration of base.

In a titration, a burette is held with a ring stand above an Erlenmeyer flask or beaker.

Inside the burette is the titrant solution, which is an acid or base solution of known

concertation. The titrant is dripped into the Erlenmeyer flask which contains the analyte

solution and a pH sensor that measures the pH change, see Figure 2 below for the

titration set up. The analyte solution is of unknown concentration that will be neutralized

by the titrant solution. In this experiment, the base titrant solution is 0.2 M of sodium

hydroxide, NaOH. The analyte solution was the two different coffee brands. The pH
 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 6

sensor measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. The greater the

concentration of hydrogen ions, the more acidic the solution is. The pH scale is in terms

of negative powers of ten, and ranges from zero to fourteen, zero being the most acidic,

and 14 being the most basic and a seven on the pH scale is neutral.

Figure 2. Titration Experimental Setup (Titration Setup)

The figure above shows the titration setup that was used to conduct the

experiment.

During the titration, the NaOH titrant solution will neutralize the acetic acid that is

in the coffee analyte solution, see the neutralization reaction in Figure 3 below.

Once the acetic acid has been neutralized by slowing adding the sodium hydroxide

titrant solution, the equivalence point will be reached. The equivalence point is when the

moles of base is equivalent to the moles of acid.

𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻(𝑎𝑞) + 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻(𝑎𝑞) → 𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝑁(𝑎𝑞) + 𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙)

Figure 3. Neutralization Equation

The figure above shows the neutralization reaction equation of acetic acid and

sodium hydroxide.
 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 7

The neutralization reaction can be seen on the titration curve. The titration curve

is the graphical representation of the pH changes during the titration, see Figure 4

below. The period of when the pH begins to increase rapidly creating a steep slope,

means that it is near the equivalence point. The x-axis is always the volume of the titrant

added and the y-axis is the pH of the analyte solution.

Equivalence
point

Figure 4. Titration Curve (“Titration Curve”)

The figure above shows an example of an acid-base titration curve.

Previous research has been done in the area of calculating the number of moles

of acetic acid, but instead of coffee, they determined the number of moles of acetic acid

in “Mr. Coffee”, a coffee cleaner. When the researchers conducted the experiment, they

used NaOH as their titrant and used “Mr. Coffee” as their analyte. When the

researchers had finished titrating, they used stoichiometry to figure out the number of

moles of various organic acids. This previous research applies to this project because

the 0.2 molarity of the NaOH titrant solution that was used in “Mr. Coffee” was used in

this experiment. In addition, the stoichiometry method of calculating the moles of acid in

the analyte solution was used.

 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 8

Problem Statement
Problem:

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the molarity, M of acetic acid

(CH3COOH), found in medium roast Starbucks and Folgers coffee. The results of this

experiment determined which coffee brand was the least acidic and have the least

amount of damage on consumers’ dental health.

Hypothesis:

During the process of titration, Starbucks medium roast coffee will have the

greatest molarity of acetic acid.

Data Measured:

The independent variables are the brand of coffee, which were Starbucks, and

Folgers medium roast. The constants were the room temperature 0.2 M sodium

hydroxide, NaOH titrant, preparation of the coffee analyte solutions, and volume in

milliliters of analyte solution. The dependent variable is the molarity of the acetic acid in

the coffee analyte solutions. Descriptive analysis and a 2-sample t test was used.
 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 9

Experimental Design

Materials:

Vernier LabQuest Funnel

Vernier pH sensor (0.01 precision) Tongs
Computer/labtop 2 L of 0.2 M Sodium Hydroxide, NaOH
Magnetic stirrer solution
Magnetic stir bar 300 mL of Starbucks Medium Roast
Burette stand Coffee Solution
Burette clamp 300 mL of Folgers Medium Roast
50 mL Burette (0.1 precision) Coffee Solution
50 mL graduated cylinder
100 mL graduated cylinder
250 mL beaker
Procedures:

1. Follow the coffee brewing procedures stated in Appendix A.

2. Pour 177 mL of Starbucks Medium Roast Coffee solution into a 250 mL beaker
by using a 100 mL beaker and a 50 mL beaker.

3. Place the beaker on a magnetic stirrer and add a stirring bar into the 250 mL
beaker.

4. Connect a pH sensor to Channel 1 of a Vernier computer interface and connect

the interface to a computer.

5. Set up a ring stand, magnetic stirrer, burette clamp, and a 50.0 mL burette to
conduct the titration (see Figure 1).

6. Put the pH sensor in the coffee solution as shown in Figure 1. Position the pH
sensor so that its tip is immersed in the Starbucks coffee solution but is not
struck by the stirring bar, turn the magnetic stirrer on the lowest setting.

7. Run the Logger Pro program on the computer.

8. To begin the titration:

a. Before adding the NaOH titrant solution, on the Logger Pro click “Collect”. Once
the pH reading has stabilized click “Keep”. In the edit box, type 0 (for mL added),
then press enter.

b. Place a funnel at the top of the burette and add 50 mL of NaOH solution into the
burette.
 Bialek - Hagan - Hurley 10

c. Add the next increment of NaOH solutions, when the pH increases by 0.5 and
stabilizes, stop the burette drip and click “Keep” and in the edit box, record the
burette volume and press enter to save the data.

d. Continue adding the NaOH solution in increments that raises the pH value by 0.5
and enter the burette volume after.

e. Continue adding the NaOH solution until all 50 mL of titrant is used.

9. Once all 50 mL of the titrant is used, click “Stop” to finish collecting data.

10. Repeat steps 2 - 9 a total of fifteen times, for fifteen trials to be reached.

11. Repeat steps 2 - 10 with the Folgers Medium Roast solution.

12. Find the equivalence point:

a. In Logger Pro: select “Data” then select “new calculated column” and label it D1
(first derivative).

b. In the units section, type mL for milliliters.

c. Select the data set it will be applied to.

d. In the expression section, go to function-calculus-derivative, then select pH for

the ‘y’ variable and select NaOH as the ‘x’ variable.

e. Insert Graph and put D1 on the ‘y’ axis and NaOH on the ‘x’ axis. The highest
point on the graph is the equivalence point

13. See Appendix B to calculate the number of moles of acid

 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 11

Diagrams:

Figure 5. Titration Setup

Figure 5 above shows all the materials that were used to conduct the trials of

titrating the coffee solutions.

50 mL Burette Burette stand

Burette clamp

250 mL beaker Vernier pH sensor

Magnetic stirrer Vernier LabQuest

Figure 6. Acid-Base Titration Set Up

Figure above shows the acid-base titration set up that was used to conduct all

trials.
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 12

Data and Observations

In this experiment, Folgers and Starbucks, at medium roast, were brewed and

then titrated with 0.2 Molar NaOH solution. The following tables show the data taken

from the titration of each different coffee brand.

Data:

Table 1
Folgers Titration
Folgers
Equivalence Point (mL of
Trial Moles of Acetic Acid (mol)
NaOH solution)
1 2.0 2.7 x 10-4
2 2.8 3.7 x 10-4
3 2.1 2.8 x 10-4
4 2.6 3.5 x 10-4
5 3.2 4.3 x 10-4
6 3.9 5.2 x 10-4
7 3.1 4.1 x 10-4
8 2.7 3.6 x 10-4
9 3.4 4.5 x 10-4
10 2.7 3.6 x 10-4
Average 2.9 3.8 x 10-4

Table 1 shows the equivalence points and the moles of acetic acid for each trial

that was conducted for Folgers. The equivalence point was determined by LoggerPro

software and the moles of acetic acid for each trial was determined using stoichiometry.
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 13

Table 2
Starbucks Titration
Starbucks
Equivalence Point (mL
Trial Moles of Acetic Acid (mol)
of NaOH solution)
1 2.5 3.3 x 10-4
2 1.5 2.0 x 10-4
3 2.1 2.8 x 10-4
4 1.6 2.1 x 10-4
5 2.0 2.7 x 10-4
6 1.0 1.3 x 10-4
7 1.6 2.1 x 10-4
8 1.1 1.5 x 10-4
9 1.8 2.4 x 10-4
10 2.4 3.2 x 10-4
Average 1.8 2.3 x 10-4

Table 2 above shows the equivalence points and the moles of acetic acid for

each trial that was conducted for Starbucks. The process of how the equivalence point

and the moles of acetic acid was determined is explained above in Table 1.

Observations:

The following tables show the observations that were taken throughout all the

trials conducted for the two different coffee brands.

Table 3
Observations for all Folgers Trials
Trial Observations
Researcher 2 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
1 solution started at 5.82. The pH ended at 12.63. The coffee was two
days old.
Researcher 2 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
2 solution started at 5.88. The pH ended at 12.65. The coffee was two
days old
Researcher 2 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
3 solution started at 6.04. The pH ended at 12.68. The coffee was three
days old.
Researcher 2 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
4 solution started at 6.03. The pH ended at 12.67. The coffee was three
days old.
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 14

Trial Observations
Researcher 2 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
5 solution started at 5.57. The pH ended at 12.67. The coffee was three
days old.
Researcher 2 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
6 solution started at 5.61. The pH ended at 12.64. The coffee was two
days old.
Researcher 2 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
7 solution started at 5.59. The pH ended at 12.61. The coffee was two
days old.
Researcher 2 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
8 solution started at 5.41. The pH ended at 12.61. The coffee was one
day old.
Researcher 3 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
9 solution started at 5.37. The pH ended at 12.40. The coffee was one
day old.
Researcher 3 conducted the titration. The pH of the Folgers coffee
10 solution started at 5.41. The pH ended at 12.43. The coffee was one
day old.

Table 3 above shows the observations that were made throughout all the trials

for Folgers. The starting and ending pH was recorded and any problems that were

encountered was mentioned as well.

Table 4
Observations for all Starbucks Trials
Trial Observations
Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee
1 started at 5.94. The pH ended at 12.74. The coffee was two days old.

Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee

2 started at 6.40. The pH ended at 13.06. The coffee was two days old.

Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee

3 started at 6.91. The pH ended at 13.05. The burette stopped dripping
after 5 minutes. The coffee was three days old.
Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee
4 started at 6.05. The pH ended at 12.78. The coffee was three days
old.
5
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 15

Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee

started at 5.66. The pH ended at 12.78. The pH sensor was very
sensitive, and the pH readings jumped and down quite a lot. The
coffee was one day old.
Trial Observations

6 Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee

started at 5.64. The pH ended at 12.77. The coffee was one day old.

7 Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee

started at 5.67. The pH ended at 12.74. The coffee was two days old.

8 Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee

started at 5.67. The pH ended at 12.74. The coffee was two days old.

9 Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee

started at 5.69. The pH ended at 12.82. The coffee was two days old.

10 Researcher 1 conducted the titration. The pH of the Starbucks coffee

started at 5.70. The pH ended at 12.81. The coffee was two days old.

Table 4 above shows the observations that were made throughout all the trials

for Starbucks. The starting and ending pH was recorded and any problems that were

encountered was mentioned as well.

 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 16

Data Analysis and Interpretation

The experiment that was conducted tested which coffee brand, Folgers or

Starbucks at medium roast brew, had the most acetic acid when titrated. The results are

beneficial because they can be used to help understand which coffee brand is more

acidic and which one to avoid drinking. The data to be analyzed later in the section was

collected by using a Vernier pH sensor, which measured the potential hydrogen in the

coffee solution (pH). The moles of acetic acid in the coffee solution were founded by

calculating using stoichiometry. In the experiment, multiple steps were taken to ensure

that the data collected was accurate. The first step in ensuring that was through

repetition. In the experiment, ten trials for each coffee brand was run to ensure

consistency. This was vital in determining whether there were any outliers or significant

changes. The next step was to randomize the trials so that it reduces potential bias

throughout the experiment resulting in inaccurate data. Starbucks was labeled as 1 and

Folgers was labeled as 2. With this known, numbers 1 and 2 were randomized and

whichever number appeared, that brand of coffee was titrated first. Lastly, all trials were

done under the same conditions so that the lurking variables were all the same for all

trials. Researcher 1 did the Starbucks titration while Researcher 2 and Researcher 3 did

the Folgers titration. The same beakers and titration set up was used for the specific

coffee brand.

The two-sample t test was the appropriate test to do for this data because it

compares two independent groups and determines if the two means are significant or if

the results are due to chance. To correctly conduct the two-sample t test, three

assumptions had to have been met. The first one was that the simple random samples
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 17

were taken from independent populations. This was met as the coffee being brewed

had an equal chance of being selected for the brewing. The second one is that the

samples in the experiment cannot be more than one tenth of the population size. This

was met as there is more moles of acetic acid for Starbucks and Folgers in the world

than the moles of acetic acid found in this experiment. The last one was that the data

was normally distributed, or at least thirty trials were completed, according to the

Central Limit Theorem. Since only 20 trials total were completed, normal probability

plots were created to check the assumption, (see Figure 1 and Figure 2). To calculate

the two-sample t test correctly, two hypotheses had to have been determined, the null

hypothesis and the alternate hypothesis. Then the confidence level was determined

and, in this experiment, the alpha level of 0.05 was used and what this means is that it

can be said with 95% confidence that the conclusion reached is valid. Then the two-

sample t test formula was used to determine the t-value. If the p-value was less than

0.05, then the null hypothesis was rejected, but if it was higher than 0.05, then the null

hypothesis cannot be rejected.

 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 18

Figure 7. Number of Moles of Acetic Acid for Folgers Normal Probability Plot

Figure 7 above shows the normal probability plot for the number of moles of

acetic acid for Folgers. The data from all ten trials is normal, but this plot had to be

looked at with caution. There are some points that deviate from the line, so this plot

must be looked at with caution when deciding that it was normal and caring out the two-

sample t test.

Figure 8. Number of Moles of Acetic Acid for Starbucks Normal Probability Plot

Figure 8 above shows the normal probability plot for the number of moles of

acetic acid for Starbucks. The data from all ten trials appears to fit the line normally that
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 19

was generated. This data from the Starbucks trials compared to the Folgers appears to

be more normal because the data fits the line better and there are not as many points

that deviate from the line significantly.

Figure 9. Number of Moles of Acetic Acid Box Plots for Both Coffee Brands

Figure 9 above shows the number of moles of acetic acid box plots for the two

coffee brands that were experimented on. The first box plot is the number of moles of

acetic acid in the Starbucks medium roast coffee solution. This boxplot appears to be

fairly normal, but it is slightly right skewed because of the fact that the mean is greater

than the median. The second box plot is the number of moles of acetic acid in the

Folgers medium roast coffee solution. This boxplot appears to be normal as well, but

comparing it with the Starbucks box plot, it is more right skewed the Starbucks boxplot

because the difference between the mean and the median is greater than the difference

between the mean and the median in the Starbucks boxplot. The Folgers boxplot is also

more variant. The range of the Folgers boxplot is greater than the range of the

Starbucks boxplot with the Folgers range of 2.5 x 10-4 being greater than the Starbucks

range of 2.0 x 10-4. There are no outliers in any of the box plots, suggesting that the

results are consistent.

 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 20

According to the boxplots, the Starbucks boxplot is the farthest to the left,

suggesting that the Starbucks medium roast coffee had less acetic acid than the

Folgers medium roast coffee. The median of the Starbucks medium roast coffee was

2.25 x 10-4 moles of acetic acid while the median of the Folgers medium roast coffee

was 3.65 x 10-4 moles of acetic acid. The mean of the Starbucks medium roast coffee

was 2.34 x 10-4 moles of acetic acid and the mean of the Folgers medium roast coffee

was 3.8 x 10-4 moles of acetic acid. This supports the conclusion that the Starbucks

medium roast coffee had the least acetic acid during the experiment. The standard

deviation of the two coffee brands can also be compared to see what the patterns of the

data are. The standard deviation is the measure of how much the data is spread out

around the mean. The standard deviation for the Starbucks medium roast coffee was

determined to be 6.7 x 10-5 and the standard deviation for the Folgers medium roast

coffee was determined to be 7.6 x 10-5. This shows that the experiment conducted on

the Folgers medium roast coffee had a lot more spread from the mean than the

Starbucks medium roast coffee. That is why on the normal probability plot made in

Figure 7, the data points do not fit as well as the data points on the Starbucks normal

probability plot in Figure 8. With the normality of the data assessed, the two-sample t

test was conducted to see if the two means are significant or if it just due to chance.

The null hypothesis says that the two mean values for Starbucks and Folgers are

equal. The alternative hypothesis says that the mean for the Starbucks medium roast

coffee is greater than the mean. The alternative hypothesis is stated because it is there

to say whether the means are identical.

 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 21

Ho: μStarbucks = μFolgers

Ha: μStarbucks > μFolgers

Figure 10. Null and Alternative Hypotheses

Figure 10 above shows the two hypotheses determined when doing the two-

sample t test between Starbucks and Folgers. The null hypothesis Ho, states that the

mean number of moles acetic acid for Starbucks is equal to the mean number of moles

of acetic acid for Folgers. The alternative hypothesis Ha, states that the mean number of

moles of acetic acid for Starbucks is greater than the mean number of moles of acetic

acid for Folgers. This alternative hypothesis was determined by the original hypothesis,

which stated that Starbucks has a greater number of moles of acetic acid than Folgers.

Figure 11. Probability Graph of Starbucks and Folgers

Figure 11 above shows the probability graph, the p-value, and the t value of the

two-sample t test comparing the mean of the number of moles of acetic acid in

Starbucks and the mean of the number of the number of moles of acetic acid in Folgers.

The t value was found to be -4.5655 and the p-value was found to be 0.9999. A sample

calculation to find the t value can be found in Appendix D.

 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 22

From the results of the two-sample t test, fail to reject the null hypothesis

because the p-value of 0.9999 is greater than the alpha level of 0.05. There is no

evidence that on average, the number of moles of acetic acid for Starbucks is greater

than the number of moles of acetic acid for Folgers. If the null hypothesis was true, that

is, if there was really no difference in the number of moles of acetic acid for Starbucks

and the number of moles of acetic acid for Folgers, then there would be a 99.99%

chance of getting a difference in the number of moles of acetic acid this extreme by

chance alone. Since this is likely to happen, the researchers failed to reject the null

hypothesis. However, these results must be taken with caution as the data sample for

Folgers was not completely normal, as shown in Figure 7.

 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 23

Conclusion

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the molarity, M, of acetic acid

(CH COOH), found in medium roast Starbucks and Folgers coffee. The difference in the
3

number of moles of acetic acid in the Starbucks and Folgers solution was determined

using a two-sample t test. The hypothesis stating that Starbucks will have the greater

amount of moles of acetic acid, was rejected because the Folgers coffee had a greater

amount of acetic acid than Starbucks. In addition, the results of the two-sample t test

concluded that the hypothesis, had failed to be rejected. The reason for this is due to

the mean amount of acetic acid of Starbucks was 2.3 x 10-4, while the mean amount of

acetic acid in Folgers was 3.8 x 10-4.

The results of the experiment supported the research behind Review of Literature

as to how acetic forms when coffee beans are brewed. Acetic acid forms by first the

coffee beans touching the heat of the roaster. As the heat is being introduced, amino

acids and sugar profuse together to create reactions that creates the taste, smell, and

color of the coffee. This profusion of reactions in the coffee beans is called the Maillard

Reaction and this reaction is responsible for turning a selected number of compounds

inside the coffee bean into hundreds of compounds that make up the unique flavors of

coffee. These compounds that are made from the Maillard Reaction are then turned into

organic acids like acetic acid through the breakdown of carbohydrates (Handground). A

major factor in how many moles of acetic acid the coffee bean has involves where the

coffee bean is grown. The Public Broadcasting Company (PBS) contacted Folgers for

information on where they grow their coffee, and a representative said, that the coffee

was grown in areas such as Ethiopia and Mexico around 6,000 feet.” (“Behind the
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 24

Beans: Folgers.”). Starbucks grows their coffee in Latin America around 4,500 feet

(Pashman). Where the coffee beans are grown is a key part in the acidity because the

sugar concentration of coffee beans is affected. Higher elevations allow the coffee

bean’s maturation time to slow down and in result develop complex sugars. The

drainage going down the mountain also assists in the maturation time by reducing the

amount of water that the coffee bean absorbs, allowing for a stronger concentration of

sugars inside the coffee bean (Ferguson-Quilter). With greater concentrations of sugars,

the Maillard Reaction produces a greater amount of moles of acetic acid, explaining why

Folgers has a larger concentration of acetic acid on average.

The results agreed with the current research in the Review of Literature,

specifically about how the elevation of where the coffee beans are grown, affects the

acidity of coffee. Folgers proved to be more acidic by having a greater amount of moles

of acetic acid at 3.8 x 10 moles, when compared to Starbucks, which had a mean of
-4

2.3 x 10 moles. Higher elevation allows the coffee bean to be a lot more acidic when
-4

brewed. The LoggerPro and pH sensor were helpful because the LoggerPro helped

store all pH values, found by using the exact measurements calculated by the pH

sensor, as well as, calculating the equivalence point of each solution.

Since the normal probability plots were not normal, it can be suggested that

mistakes and lurking variables affected the data. One confounding error was as the

days post coffee brew increased, the starting pH increased, this can seen in the fourth

trial in Table 4. Coffee that was only a day old, was noted to have a higher equivalence

point and lower starting pH, as seen in the ninth trial in Table 3, than the starting pH of

the coffee that was two or three days old. To solve this problem, fresh coffee would
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 25

need to be brewed every day to keep the starting pH consistent. A problem that was

encountered included effectively using the burette to slowly drip the titrant solution into

the analyte coffee solution, this occurred in fourth trial in Table 3. Often times the titrant

would drip too frequently into the analyte causing the pH to change quicker than

intended, this occurred in the fifth trial in Table 4. Another problem was positioning the

pH probe in the beaker such that it would not hit the magnetic stirrer, but also be

submerged enough into the solution to measure the pH levels of the solution. To fix this,

utility clamps could be used to hold the pH probe in place.

However, this research can be expanded upon so that better conclusions can be

drawn. First, different types of coffee roasts can be compared, since there are multiple

types of roasts, the amount of acetic acid can be compared between them. Second, a

wider variety of brands can be compared as different brands grow their coffee in many

different areas around the world. This research can help coffee consumers make a

better choice when choosing which coffee brand they purchase, so they can avoid

coffee that contains greater amounts of acetic acid. Based on the results from this

experiment, Starbucks would be the recommended medium roast coffee brand as it

contains less acetic acid than Folgers.

 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 26

Appendix A: Safety Precautions

1. Always wear gloves when performing the experiment.

2. Do not wear clothes that reveal skin and wear an apron.

3. Make sure hair is tied back so that no hair strands get contaminated by the
experiment.

4. Always wear goggles when performing the experiment.

5. Handle the NaOH solution carefully as it can cause skin irritations and redness
when on contact with skin.
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 27

Appendix B: Brewing Coffee

Materials:

Paper filter
2,129 mL Coffee pot
Drip Coffee Maker
340 g Starbucks Medium Roast Coffee
865 g Folgers Medium Roast Coffee
2,129 mL water

Procedures:

1. Place a paper filter into the basket on top of the Drip Coffee Maker.

2. Measure 12 tablespoons of either Folgers or Starbucks Medium Roast coffee and

pour it on the paper filter.

3. Measure 2,129 milliliters of water into the reservoir on the back of the Drip Coffee
Maker.

4. Close the hatch of the water reservoir and turn on the Drip Coffee Maker where it
states, “Brew Now”.

5. Wait approximately between 8-10 minutes for the full coffee pot to brew.
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 28

Appendix C: Calculating Moles of Acetic Acid

1. Calculate the number of moles of the NaOH titrant used to get to the equivalence
point (see Figure 1 below).

a. Multiply the molarity (M) of the NaOH titrant, by the volume (V) of titrant
used to get to the equivalence point in Liters (convert mL to L).

2. Use the balanced double replacement reaction equation of sodium hydroxide

(NaOH) and acetic acid (CH₃COOH) and the mole conversion ratio. (see Figure
1 below)

𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 = 𝑀 × 𝑉(𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠)
2.5
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 = 0.2 × ( )
1000
−4
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 = 5.0 × 10
𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻(𝑎𝑞) + 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 → 𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝑁𝑎(𝑎𝑞) + 𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙)
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻 = 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 → 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 → 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻 → 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻
40𝑔 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻 = (5.0 × 10−4 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 ) × ×
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 60𝑔 𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂𝐻 = 3.3 × 10−4 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠

Figure 12. Sample Calculation for Computing Moles of Acetic Acid

The figure above shows a sample calculation of computing the number of moles

of acetic acid that was titrated from a 177 mL sample of Trial 1’s Starbucks Medium

roast coffee.
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 29

Appendix D: Two-Sample t Test Formula and Sample Calculation

Shown below is the formula used for finding the t value for a two-sample t test, where

the first sample (Starbucks), mean is represented by 𝑥̅1, the second sample (Folgers),

mean is represented by 𝑥̅2 , the first sample standard deviation is represented by 𝑆1, the

second sample standard deviation is represented by 𝑆2 , the first sample number of data

points is represented by 𝑛1 , and the second sample number of data points is

represented by 𝑛2 .

𝑥̅1 − 𝑥̅2
𝑡=
𝑆12 𝑆22
√
𝑛1 + 𝑛2

Shown below in Figure 13 is how t value was calculated using the formula above.

𝑥̅1 − 𝑥̅2
𝑡=
𝑆12 𝑆22
√
𝑛1 + 𝑛2

(2.3 × 10−4 ) − (3.8 × 10−4 )

𝑡=
−5 2 −5 2
√(6.7 × 10 ) + (7.6 × 10 )
10 10

𝑡 = −4.5655

Figure 13. Sample t value Calculation

The figure above shows the formula and substitution used to find the t value. When

computing the answer, the original unrounded numbers were used. The t value

represents the number of standard deviations above or below the mean that the average

data would be in a t distribution. The Starbucks sample was sample one, and the Folgers

sample was sample two. In both the Starbucks and Folgers samples, there were ten data

points.
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 30

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Handground, Team. “Coffee Chemistry Made Simple: A Look at What Happens Inside

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coffee.
 Bialek-Hagan-Hurley 31

“The Chemistry of Organic Acids in Coffee: Part 3.” Home,

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