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CChemistryMathematicsS2 to S5Agriculture · Industry

Coffee lab: drying parchment coffee

Rwanda’s coffee is famous for its quality, and drying is a key step. Dry the coffee to the right moisture: too wet and it goes mouldy, too dry and it loses quality.

55 % → 11.5 %water out, dry matter stays
LevelS2 to S5 (and TVET)
TimeAbout 30 min
You usePercentages, mass balance, rates
PriceFree: no account

🎯 Aim

To investigate how drying conditions affect the moisture of coffee and to use mass balance to calculate water lost and final mass.

You will learn to

  • Calculate moisture content from masses.
  • Use dry matter to find the final mass (mass balance).
  • Explain why the drying rate falls.
  • Choose good drying practices.

🧭 What to do

  1. Read the moisture on day 0, then move the day slider.
  2. Change the Layer thickness and Turning the beans: how many days to 11.5 %?
  3. Choose Rainy weather with and without a Cover.
  4. Read the mass on the table and the water evaporated.
  5. Answer the questions with the class data.
  6. Write your conclusion and download your lab report.

🔬 Lab bench

📋 The data

Mass of a sample tray of coffee during drying (55 % moisture at the start).

🧠 Investigate: answer from the data

Type your answer and tap Check. Use 💡 Hint first; open the method only when you are stuck.

📄 My lab report

Your report collects the aim, your data table, the graphs, your answers and your conclusion. It is made on your phone or computer: nothing is sent to anyone.

Check your conclusion

Only water leaves the coffee, so the dry matter stays constant and the final mass is dry matter ÷ (1 − final moisture). Thin layers, frequent turning and sun dry the coffee fastest; the drying rate falls as the beans get drier. Covering the tables in the rain avoids re-wetting. Coffee must reach about 11–12 % moisture for safe storage.

➕ Get more from this experiment

📝 Free

Print the worksheet (button above), download the data, and save your report. Teachers can project this page in class.

📦 Premium Lab Pack

1 000 RWF

  • Practical worksheet: drying fruits or beans at school and weighing them
  • Moisture and mass balance problems
  • Teacher guide and answer key
  • Exam-style questions with marking scheme

👩‍🏫 For teachers

Use it as a practical when apparatus is missing, as homework, or as a project. Free lesson plans help you plan, teach and assess.

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DONAT STEM Interactive Labs · original work by BIZIYAREMYE Donat · data are realistic models for learning · free forever