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Activity No. 4

CALORIMETRY AND SPECIFIC HEAT

INTRODUCTION

Chemical and physical processes can absorb (endothermic) or release (exothermic) heat.
Chemists and physicists used a technique known as calorimetry, referred to as the science of
measuring the changes in energy of a system by measuring the heat exchange with the
surroundings. It measures the amount of energy given off or absorbed during chemical reactions.
The quantity of heat absorbed or released by a substance depends directly on the type of
substance, its mass, and the temperature changes it undergoes. The calorimeter generally consists
of a container filled with liquid, usually water, a thermometer for monitoring temperature, and a
device for stirring the water. Calculations from calorimetry center on the Law of
Thermodynamics that states “energy cannot be created or destroyed.” When applied to
calorimetry, this means that any heat produced during a chemical reaction must be transferred to
the calorimeter, or more specifically, to the water inside the calorimeter. Therefore, if chemists
or physicists can measure the heat absorbed by the water, then they know the amount of heat
given off.

One physical property of a substance that can be determined using the calorimetric
method is its specific heat, defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1
gram of the substance by 1 degree Celsius.

In this activity, a hot metal is placed inside the calorimeter containing water. Inside the
calorimeter, the hot metal releases heat, which in turn is absorbed by the water and the
calorimeter. The heat released by the metal is equal to the heat absorbed by the calorimeter and
the water based on the equation shown:

- Heat released (Q) = Heat absorbed (Q)

Heat released by metal = Heat absorbed by the calorimeter + Heat absorbed by water

- Qmetal = Qcal + Qqwater

- (mmetal Cmetal ∆Tmetal) = (mcal Ccal ∆Tcal) + (mwater Cwater ∆Twater)

Where: m = mass in grams

C = specific heat of a substance
∆T = change in temperature = (Tf - Ti)

The specific heat of common metals is found in the table below:

Table 4.1.Specific Heat of Common Metals.

Specific Heat – C
Metal
(J/g°C) (Cal/g°C)

Aluminum 0.910 0.220

Brass 0.380 0.090

Copper 0.390 0.092

Iron 0.460 0.108

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Lead 0.130 0.031

Magnesium 1.050 0.243

Tin 0.382 0.054

Water 4.184 1.000

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the activity, you can:

1. calculate the amount of heat absorbed/released by a metal;

2. calculate the specific heat of a given substance (Fe metal);
3. compare experimental data with the established or theoretical value on specific heat of
the metal used;
4. calculate percent error; and
5. explain the result on the obtained percent error.

APPARATUS/MATERIALS

1-Aluminum calorimeter 1-Iron stand with ring / tripod

1-Wire gauze 1-Iron clamp
1-Beaker (250 mL) 1-Rubber stopper (one-hole)
1-Thermometer 1-String (1/2 meter long)
1-Alcohol lamp Tissue paper
1-Platform balance Styrofoam crap / saw dust
1-Fe Metal sample (150-200 grams)

PROCEDURE

1. Insulate the calorimeter with scrap Styrofoam or saw dust.

2. Weigh the inner vessel of the calorimeter.
3. Weigh 150 mL of water in the pre-weighed inner vessel of the calorimeter.
4. Set the thermometer using one-holed rubber stopper. Adjust the thermometer so that the bulb
will be immersed in the water after the metal is placed and that it does not touch the inner
wall of the calorimeter (Figure 4.1).

Thermometer
Stirrer
Rubber stopper

Metal mass
Insulator

Figure 4.1. Calorimeter Setup.

5. Allow the contents to stand for 10 minutes to equilibrate and take the temperature of the
water inside the calorimeter. Record this as the initial temperature, t i, of the water and the
calorimeter.
6. Half-fill the 250 mL beaker with water and positioned it on the ring of the iron stand.
7. Weigh a Fe metal sample.
8. Using a string, tie the weighed iron metal with a string and hang it above the beaker. Adjust it
such that the metal sample will be totally immersed in the water but not touching the bottom
of the beaker (Figure 4.2).

Iron
clamp

String

Metal Sample
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Figure 4.2. Heating of Metal Sample.

9. Heat the water in the beaker to boiling and leave it for 3 minutes.
10. Take the temperature of the boiling water and record it as the initial
temperature, (ti)m, of the Fe metal.
11. Remove the metal from the beaker and immediately tap it with tissue paper
then place it immediately in the calorimeter.
12. Cover the calorimeter quickly and stir the contents with the stirrer. Monitor the
changes in temperature inside the calorimeter.
13. If the temperature do not change anymore or stable for 1 minute, then take
the temperature and record it as the final temperature, (tf)w, of the water,
calorimeter and metal.
14. Calculate the heat gained by the water and the aluminum calorimeter
(q = mC∆t).
15. Using the data gathered, calculate the experimental specific heat of the metal
sample,
C= (qwater + qcal) / −(mmetal x ∆tmetal)

16. Compare the theoretical specific heat of metal sample and compare it to the
experimental specific heat obtained.

17. Compute the percent error.

Percent Error = Theoretical Value – Experimental Value X 100%

Theoretical Value

18. Record all data in the table