CEBU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY
CHE282
Physical Chemistry for Engineers 1
Laboratory
Experiment No. 3

Name: Course and Year:

Group: Date:

I. CALIBRATION OF TEMPERATURE MEASURING DEVICES

II. OBJECTIVE:
To be able calibrate temperature measuring devices, such as a standard laboratory
thermometer and a thermocouple

III. THEORY:
The methods of calibrating temperature measuring devices could be done
by comparing the temperature device reading to a known reference boiling or
melting points.

When calibrating temperature measuring devices, caution must be

exercised to minimize errors resulting from temperature lag. The temperature
sensitive element of any thermometer or thermocouple receives or gives up
energy by heat transfer from or to its surroundings. If the thermal conductivity of
the thermometer bulb is low, more time is required for the thermometer to reach
equilibrium with the surrounding. This is also true for instruments having large
thermal capacities. The product of the specific heat and the total mass of the
temperature-sensitive element is often termed the thermal capacity of the
thermometer. When this is large, considerable time is required for the element to
absorb or release a quantity of heat sufficient to bring it unto thermal equilibrium
with its surrounding. The temperature of the surrounding may change several
degrees before the bulb of an instrument, having a large thermal capacity,
losses or gains enough energy to reflect the correct temperature change.

IV. APPARATUS:
Standard thermometer Bunsen burner
Thermocouple (Type k) Iron stand
Water bath wire gauze
2 x 250 ml Beakers clay shield
2 Iron clamps

V. MATERIALS:
400 ml distilled water*
500 g crushed ice*
Matchbox*
*To be provided by the students.

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VI. PROCEDURE:
(1) Prior to the experiment, record the room temperature and the atmospheric
pressure.
(2) Set up the boiling point measurement apparatus by mounting the
temperature measurement devices (i.e. standard laboratory thermometer
and thermocouple) using separate iron clamps on an iron stand equipped
with a 250 ml beaker on a clay shield with wire gauze – see figure 1.
(3) Place 200 ml of distilled water into the 250 ml beaker.
(4) Immerse the thermometer and the thermocouple inside the beaker. Make
sure that the thermometer and thermocouple do not touch the wall or
bottom of the beaker.
Note: During the experiment, the thermometer should not be withdrawn for
reading.
(5) Close the air hole of the Bunsen Burner and connect it to the closed gas
outlet using a rubber tubing. Slowly open the gas outlet and light the burner
with an ignition source (e.g. match).
(6) Bring the liquid to boil by adjusting the flame. Heat the liquid gradually to its
boiling temperature.
(7) Record the reading of the temperature measuring devices per increment in
temperature.
(8) As soon as the readings stabilize at the boiling point, remove the heat and
allow it to cool down to room temperature.
(9) Record the reading of the temperature measuring devices per decrement in
temperature.
(10) As soon as the readings stabilize at room temperature, add crushed ice to
the water bath and allow it to cool down to its freezing point.
(11) Record the reading of the temperature measuring devices per decrement in
temperature.
(12) Tabulate and plot your results.

VII. SKETCH:

[A] [B]
Figure 1. A] Boiling point and B] Freezing point measurement apparatus.

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VIII. RESULTS:

VIII-A: Tabulated Data.

For Heating: For Cooling:

Time Standard Thermocouple Time Standard Thermocouple
(sec) Thermometer (0C) (min) Thermometer (0C)
(0C) (0C)
0 25 25 0 95 101
96.5 30 32 2’7” 90 95
151 35 37 3’45” 85 90
204.4 40 43 5’30” 80 85
265.6 45 48 7’50” 75 80
324.4 50 53 10’38” 70 74
383.0 55 58 14’01” 65 68
443.4 60 63 18’12” 60 63
513.7 65 69 23’13” 55 58
589.6 70 75 30’09” 50 52
674.6 75 80 38’57” 45 47
770.2 80 86 51’06” 40 42
878.0 85 91 35
998.1 90 97 74’02” 30 30
1261.7 95 101 76’03” 25 25
1475.7 96 101 78’28” 20 16
97 81’18’ 15 11
98 85’44” 10 11
99 86’15” 9 9
100 87’29” 8 8
X 88’38” 7 7
X 90’08” 6
X x
x x
x x
x x
x x
x x

VIII-B. GRAPHS.

Heating Curves

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mp [oC]
 Time [min]

Plot the Heating curves and cooling curves from the readings of the Standard
Laboratory Thermometer and Thermocouple.

Cooling Curves
Temp [oC]

Time [min]

Plot the Freezing curves from the readings of the Standard Laboratory Thermometer
and Thermocouple.
Freezing Curves

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[ C]
o
 T
Time [min]

Plot the calibration lines of the Standard Laboratory Thermometer and Thermocouple.

Calibration lines
Actual Temperature [oC]

Temperature Reading [oC]

IX. GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR ANALYSIS:

1. Why do we need to calibrate temperature measuring devices?

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 2. What is the importance of recording the room temperature and atmospheric
pressure prior to the experiment?

3. Compare the heating and cooling curves. Give an explanation to your

observation(s).

4. Which temperature device is calibrated? Which is more accurate?

X. CONCLUSIONS:
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XI. RECOMMENDATIONS:

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