PHYS 2202 LAB: Physics II

Week 7
Calorimetry
by
[Insert Student’s Name]

Due Date:
Objective
The main objective of this lab is to measure the heats of fusion and vaporization for
water and the specific heats of various solids using the principle of calorimetry. The
other objective of this lab is to find the percent error between the theoretical and
experimental values.
Equipment Used
 Calorimeter
 Cups
 Thermometer
 Boiler
 Solid Specimens
 Ice
 Scale
 Weights
 Rubber Tubing
 Hot Plate
 Water
 Trap
Theory
Q
The specific heat of a substance is defined by c= where Q is the heat absorbed
mΔT
to produce the temperature change ΔT in a mass m of the substance. The specific
heat of water as the heat required to raise the temperature of 1g of water by 1
1cal
Celsius degree is historically defined to be 1 calorie c water = . The heat required to
g℃
produce a phase change without a change in temperature is called latent heat. For a
Q
given substance the latent heat of vaporization or fusion is given by L= where Q is
m
the heat required to vaporize or melt the substance. To distinguish the two values,
we will the use subscripts Lf and Lv to indicate heat of fusion and heat of
vaporization. The heat required to raise or lower the temperature of mass m of a
substance with specific heat c by ΔT℃ is Q=mcΔT .
Procedure
In Part I – Specific Heat of a Solid, perform the experiment as indicated in the lab
manual and equate the heat loss of the solid specimen to the heat gain of the
sample of water plus the heat gained by the calorimeter made of aluminum and the
heat gained by the thermometer to find the specific heat of the specimen. Similarly,
in Part II – Heat of Vaporization of Water, find the heat of vaporization of water and
in Part III – Heat of Fusion of Ice, find the latent heat of fusion of water.
Data Analysis
Part I – Specific Heat of a Solid
Given Data:
c w =1 cal /g ℃
 c cup =0.22 cal/g ℃
m Th=1 g

Measured Data:
m Al =50.61 g
Measured mass of cup + water ¿ 270.38 g
mw =270.38 g−50.61 g=219.77 g
T 0=18.8 ℃
m=290.25 g
T f =27 ℃
Equation to find specific heat of the specimen:
mc ( 100−T f ) =mw c w ( T f −T 0 ) + mcup c cup ( T f −T 0 ) + mTh c w (T f −T 0)

290.25∗c ( 100−27 ) =219.77∗1 ( 27−18.8 ) +50.61∗0.22 ( 27−18.8 ) +1(27−18.8)

290.25∗c ( 73 )=219.77∗1 ( 8.2 ) +50.61∗0.22 ( 8.2 )+ 1(8.2)
21188.25 c=1901.61444
1901.61444
c= =0.089 cal/g ℃
21188.25
Obtained specific heat for the specimen: 0.089 cal / g ℃
Specific heat for the brass given in the lab manual: 0.0 92 cal/ g ℃
The specimen was made from brass
0.089−0.092
%error = ∗100=3.26 %
0.092
Part II – Heat of Vaporization of Water
Given Data:
c w =1 cal /g ℃
c cup =0.22 cal/g ℃
m Th=1 g

Measured Data:
mcup=50.61 g
Measured mass of cup + water ¿ 250.43 g
mw =250.43 g−50.61 g=199.82 g

Mass of water + calorimeter + steam = 250.81g

msteam =250.81−250.43=0.38 g
 T 0=18 ℃
T f =29℃

Equation to find the heat of vaporization:

msteam L v +msteam c w ( 100−T f ) =mw cw ( T f −T 0 ) + mcup ccup ( T f −T 0 )+ mTh c w (T f −T 0 )

0.38∗Lv +0.38∗1 ( 100−29 )=199.82∗1 ( 29−18 ) +50.61∗0.22∗( 29−18 ) +1(29−18)

0.38 Lv +26.98=233. 14962
0.38 Lv =206.16962
206.16962
Lv = =542.55 cal/g
0.38
Obtained heat of vaporization: 542.55 cal/ g
Accepted value for heat of vaporization given in the lab manual: 540 cal/ g
542.55−540
%error = ∗100=0.47 %
540
Part III – Heat of Fusion of Ice
Given Data:
c w =1 cal /g ℃
c cup =0.22 cal /g ℃
mTh=1 g
Measured Data:
mcup=50.61 g
mw =250.81 g
mice =280.83 g
T 0=26.5 ℃
T f =14 ℃

Equation to find the heat of fusion of water:

mice Lf + mice c w ( T f −0 ) =mw c w ( T 0−T f )+ mcup ccup ( T 0−T f ) +mTh c w (T 0 −T f )

280.83∗Lf +280.83∗1 ( 14−0 )=250.81∗1 ( 26.5−14 ) +50.61∗0.22∗( 26.5−14 ) +1(26.5−14)

280.83 Lf +3931.62=32868. 025
280.83 Lf =28936.405
28936.405
Lf = =103 cal/g
280.83
Obtained heat of fusion: 103 cal / g
Accepted value for heat of fusion given in the lab manual: 80 cal/ g
103−80
%error = ∗100=28.79 %
80
Questions
In parts I and II we may partially compensate for heat lost to the room through the
walls of the cup if we start with the water temperature somewhat below room
temperature and end with the temperature an equal amount above room
temperature. This is because for temperature of water below the room temperature,
the heat will flow into the cup through the walls because of the temperature
difference and hence the heat lost when the temperature rises above room
temperature will get somewhat compensated by the heat flowing in the beginning.
There was heat loss in parts 1 and 2 while heat gain in part 3 of the experiment. In
part 1 of the experiment, a boiling specimen was exposed to room temperature for a
few seconds before putting into the cold water which results in the loss of some of
the heat from the boiling water. In part 2 of the experiment, the temperature of the
room caused the steam to lower in temperature. This reduces the amount that is
added to the room temperature water. In part 3 of the experiment, ice was added to
water slightly above room temperature. The ice was dried it off and while drying and
keeping the ice out of the container, it started to heat up a bit. So, the temperature
did not get as low as it should have.
Conclusion
We performed this lab to measure the heats of fusion and vaporization for water and
the specific heats of various solids using the principle of calorimetry as well as to find
the percent error between the theoretical and experimental values. All the
experimental data and calculation results are recorded in the data analysis portion of
the lab report. It was observed that the calculated and experimental results are quite
close to each other.