For the exclusive use of Chem 86L class in Xavier-Ateneo

Experiment 1
Calorimetry: Specific Heat Capacities
of Metals
Calorimetry is the science of measuring a quantity of heat. Heat is a form of energy associated
with the motion of atoms or molecules of a substance. Heat (often represented as "q") is
measured in energy units such as joules or calories.

Temperature, on the other hand, is the degree of hotness or coldness (often represented as "T")
is measured in degrees (usually Celsius). The measurement of temperature is already familiar to
you. The same temperature is obtained for the water in a lake and for a thermos of water taken
from the lake. But the heat content of the whole lake is much more than the heat content in
that thermos of water even though both are exactly of the same temperature.

Temperature and heat are related to each other by the specific heat (c) of a substance, defined
as the quantity of heat needed to raise one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius (J/g oC).
The relationship between quantity of heat (q), specific heat (c), mass (m) and temperature
change (ΔT) is mathematically expressed by the equation:

q = m ∙ c ∙ ΔT
Since the mass and temperature can be measured by a weighing balance and a thermometer
respectively, q can be calculated if the c for a substance is known. Also, c can be calculated if
the heat content (q) of the substance is known.

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 g of water by 1 degree Celsius is the
basis of the calorie. Thus, the specific heat of water is exactly 1.00 cal/g °C. The SI unit of energy
is joule and it is related to the calorie by the equation 1 calorie = 4.184 J. Thus, the specific heat
of water is also 4.184 J/g °C. The specific heat of a substance is related to its capacity to absorb
heat energy. The higher the specific heat, the more energy is required for a substance to change
its temperature.

In this experiment, we will use the principles of calorimetry to determine the specific heat of a
metal. Heat energy is transferred from a hot metal to water until the metal and the water have
reached the same temperature. This transfer is done in an insulated container to minimize heat
loss to the surroundings. We then make the assumption that all the heat lost by the metal
(qx) was absorbed by the water and is equal to the heat gained by the water, (qw). Since we
know the specific heat of water, we have all the variables needed to calculate qw using the
equation:
1
Page

qw = mw ∙ cw ∙ ΔTw

Since qw is equal to qx (just opposite in sign), we can say that

qw = - qx = - mx ∙ cx ∙ ΔTx

This relationship can be used to calculate cx of the metal because both mx and ΔTx can be measured.

PROPERTY OF XAVIER-ATENEO CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT

PROCEDURE

A. PART I
1. Weigh a dry metal sample and record the mass of the metal.

2. Carefully slide the sample into a large dry test tube and put a thermometer beside it
in the test tube.

3. Attach the test tube to a ring stand and place it into an empty 400 mL beaker as
shown in Figure 1. Be sure the height of the beaker is adjusted so the hottest part
of the burner flame will be at the bottom of the beaker. Do not heat the dry beaker
while making this adjustment. The bottom of the test tube should be at least one-
half inch above the bottom of the beaker.

Figure 1. Set-up for the determination of the temperature of metal.

4. Fill the beaker with tap water so the height of the water in the beaker is about two
inches higher than the top of the metal sample. There should be no water inside
the test tube.

5. Begin heating the water in the beaker and continue with the next steps. As you are
working, check the water and note when it starts to boil. Turn down the heat of the
burner cylinder but keep the water gently boiling. Do not do step 11 until the water
2

has been boiling for about ten minutes and the temperature in the test tube has
Page

stabilized.

6. Nest two dry styrofoam cups together, weigh them, and record the mass.
7. Add 20 mL of water to the nested cups and weigh and record the mass of the cups ,
plus that of the water that you added.

8. Take a cardboard cover for the nested cups and insert a thermometer through the
hole. The nested cups with the cardboard cover and thermometer are referred to as
a calorimeter, as shown Figure 2. If you just leave the calorimeter on the benchtop,
it might fall over and break the thermometer, so put the whole setup into a small
beaker to stabilize it. The cardboard cover must rest directly on top of the nested
cups and not on the beaker.

Figure 2. The Calorimeter set-up.

9. Measure and record the temperature of the water (initial water temperature) in the
nested cups. Leave the thermometer in the cover until you are ready to transfer the
hot metal into this calorimeter.

10. After the water in the beaker has been boiling for 10 minutes and the temperature
inside the test tube with the metal has been stable for 5 minutes, record the
temperature. Remove the thermometer from the test tube and set it aside so it
does not get mixed up with the thermometer used in the calorimeter.

11. Now, you are going to quickly and carefully transfer the metal from the test tube to
3

the water in the calorimeter. It is important that this is quickly done to minimize
Page

heat loss to the surroundings and to avoid splashing. Remove the cardboard cover
and thermometer from the calorimeter. Loosen the clamp attached to the iron
stand, lift the clamp and test tube out of the water bath, and quickly slide the metal
into the water in the calorimeter.
 12. Immediately put the cardboard cover with the thermometer back on the nested
cups. Stir gently for 2-3 minutes while monitoring the temperature. Record the
temperature (final temperature of water and metal) after it has remained constant
for about one minute.

13. Unless instructed, perform a second trial.

B. PART 2

1. Repeat this experiment using the same metal sample, but this time use colder
distilled water (5-10 °C). Do not record the initial temperature of the cold water in
the calorimeter until immediately before you add the hot metal. Fill out the report
form in the column labeled part 2.

2. Compare your computed experimental value with the theoretical values in Table 1
below & determine the specific heat of your metal sample.

Table 1. Known specific heat capacities of selected metals

Name of Metal Atomic Mass (amu) Specific heat (J/g oC)
Aluminum 26.68 0.900
Copper 63.55 0.385
Iron 55.85 0.451
Lead 207.2 0.128

Waste disposal: Metal unknowns should be returned to the counter. All waste
materials may be disposed through the sink with running water.

4
Page
 Name: Allyson Ros Montojo Locker No.: N/A
Co-Workers: Section: E1A1
Clarice Faye Lorraine Pabillaran Date Performed: September 03, 2021
Chelsea Kaye Salido Attendance: Present

Expt. 1Calorimetry: Specific Heat Capacities of Metals

I. Objectives: Pre-lab data:

1. Use the Principles of Calorimetry to determine the specific heat of a Observations:
metal. Analysis/Post lab questions:
2. Explain the 1st Law of Thermodynamics in relation to calorimetry.
Conclusion:
3. To use calorimetry results to calculate the specific heat of an unknown
metal and identify the metal. TOTAL:
4. To perform simple calorimetry experiments.

II. Apparatus: III. Symbols of Chemicals:

weighing scale, metal, large test tube, iron stand,
clamp, clamp holder, 2 thermometers, 400mL H2O – Water
beaker, Bunsen burner, wire gauze, ring stand, Pb Lead – Unknown Metal
graduated cylinder, 2 dry Styrofoam cups,
cardboard cover, and small beaker.

IV. Procedure: (Note: Write schematic diagram at the back.)

V. Observations
A.

Part 1 Part 2

Mass of metal sample 11.690 g 11.689 g

Mass of calorimeter (Styrofoam cups) 4.247 g 4.248 g

Mass of calorimeter + water 23.512 g 28.123 g

Mass of water, mw 20 g 20 g

Initial water temperature 32 ℃ 23 ℃

Temperature of heated metal sample 90 ℃ 90 ℃

33 ℃ 24 ℃
5

Final temperature of water and metal sample

Page
 B. Complete the table based from the Observation data. Show sample calculations at the back of data
sheet.
Part 1 Part 2

Change of temperature of water in calorimeter, ΔTw 1℃ 1℃

Change of temperature of metal sample, ΔTx −57 ℃ −66 ℃

Specific heat capacity of water, cw J J

4.184 ℃ 4.184 ℃
g g
Heat gained by water, qw 83.68 J 83.68 J

Heat lost by metal sample, qx −83.68 J −83.68 J

J J
Calculated specific heat of the metal sample, cx 0.126 ℃ 0.108 ℃
g g
J
Average specific heat capacity of metal 0.117 ℃
g
Name of metal sample: Lead

J
Known specific heat capacity of metal 0.128 ℃
g
% error 8.59 %

Change of temperature of water in calorimeter, ΔTw

PART 1 :∆ T w =T final −T initial=33 ℃ −32℃ =1℃
PART 2 :∆ T w =T final −T initial=24 ℃−23 ℃=1 ℃

Change of temperature of metal sample, ΔTx

PART 1 :∆ T x =T final −T initial =33℃ −90 ℃=−57 ℃
PART 2 :∆ T x =T final −T initial =24 ℃−90℃ =−66 ℃

Specific heat capacity of water, cw

J
PART 1 :Given c w =4.184 ℃
g
J
PART 2 :Given c w =4.184 ℃
g

Heat gained by water, qw

( Jg ℃) ( 1℃ )=83.68 J
PART 1 :q w =m w × c w × ∆ T w =( 20 g ) 4.184
6
Page

J
PART 2 :q =m ×c ×∆ T =( 20 g ) ( 4.184 ℃ ) ( 1 ℃ )=83.68 J
w w w w
g

Heat lost by metal sample, qx

PART 1 : q w =−q x =−83.68 J
PART 2 :q w =−q x =−83.68 J
Calculated specific heat of the metal sample, cx
qx −83.68 J J J
PART 1 :c x = = =0.1255834196 ℃ ≈ 0.126 ℃
m x × ∆T x (11.690 g)(−57 ℃ ) g g
qx −83.68 J J J
PART 2 :c x = = =0.1084676865 ℃ ≈ 0.108 ℃
m x × ∆ T x (11.689 g)(−66 ℃) g g

Average specific heat capacity of metal

J J
average c =
part 1 c + part 2 c
x
=
( 0.1255834196 ℃ ) +(0.1084676865 ℃)
x g g
x
2 2
J J
average c x =0.1170255531 ℃ ≈ 0.117 ℃
g g

% error
|accepted value−experimental value| |0.128−0.117|
% error= ×100 %= ×100 %=8.59375 %
accepted value 0.128
% error ≈ 8.59 %

Standard deviation
Σ( x− x́)2 ( 0.126−0.117 )2 +(0.108−0.117 )2
s=
√ n−1
=
√ 2−1
=0.01272792206≈ 0.0127

VI. Analysis

POST-LAB QUESTIONS: Limit your answers to 3-5 sentences only.

1. What is specific heat capacity? Briefly discuss how the specific heat capacity of a metal is
calculated.
Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat that must be added to one unit of mass of the
substance in order to raise its temperature. Solving for the specific heat capacity of metal is
derived from the formula Q=mc∆T where Q is energy, m is mass, c is the specific heat
capacity, and ∆T is the change in temperature, through which, after deriving we get
c=Q/m∆T to solve for the specific heat capacity of metal where Q, m, and ∆T are values in
terms of the metal. It is also important to understand the relationship between the heat loss
by the metal and the heat gained by the water given by the equation -mc∆T metal = mc∆T
water so that we can determine the missing variable/s and proceed on solving for the
specific heat capacity of a metal.
2. With your results as basis, relate the 1 st law of thermodynamics to the amount of heat
gained and lost by the system. Is the heat gained greater, less, or equal to the heat lost?
Why?
 The heat lost by the metal sample is equal to the heat gained of the water. This is because
it respects the first law of thermodynamics wherein it states that all the energy in the
universe is at constant amount. This means that, a change in energy of a system must be
accompanied by an equal and opposite change in energy of the surroundings which is why
in this experiment, the heat lost by the metal was gained equally by the water. Therefore,
the energy between the system and the surroundings in this experiment was conserved.
3. Discuss the precision and accuracy of your specific heat determination. Use your calculated
standard deviation and % error in your discussion. (An average deviation of 0.02 J/g°C and
a % error of less than 10% are considered good in this experiment.)

4. What are the possible sources of error for this experiment?

The possible sources of error for this experiment are the use of Styrofoam cups. The results
of this experiment would be truer if a standard beverage thermos was used. It was proven
that the use of a beverage thermos can give a closer result when its size is not too large for
the experiment and if the water is at room temperature. However, utilizing Styrofoam cups
can also give a correct result but its accuracy percentage is lower than using the beverage
thermos. In order to increase the accuracy percentage of using the Styrofoam cups, a pair
of insulated tongs should replace the test tube for holding the sample and the water in the
calorimeter should be rested longer at room temperature before collecting the data.

VII. Conclusion

The First Law of Thermodynamics is the law of conservation of energy. It states that the total energy
of an isolated system is constant. Energy can only be transformed from one form to another,
however, can neither be created or destroyed. This experiment puts the definition of the First Law of
Thermodynamics in action. The results of this experiment are as follows: the change of temperature
of water in the calorimeter is constant in both parts of the experiment. The change of temperature of
the metal sample decreased by –7℃ . The heat gained by water and the heat lost by the metal
sample remained the same in both parts. The calculated specific heat of the metal sample from
J J
Part 1 is 0.126 ℃ while Part 2 has 0.108 ℃ . The specific heat of the unknown metal is
g g
J J
0.128 ℃ . The known specific heat capacity of the metal is 0.128 ℃ . Finally, the % error is
g g
8.59%. This experiment Results of this experiment may not be a hundred percent accurate, but
science is a slow process full of trial, error, and improvement. For experiments like this, it is
encouraged to aim for 80% accuracy. Therefore, the procedures should be strictly followed.
7 Page
Schematic Diagram

8
Page