CHEM181: Chemistry for Engineers - Laboratory First Semester, AY 2021-2022

CHEM181: CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS - LABORATORY

First Semester, AY 2021-2022

Name Course & Year

Section Date

Experiment No. 2
CALORIMETRY

Objectives: 1. To demonstrate ability to simple calorimetry experiment

2.To analyze calorimetry results to calculate the specific heat of unknown
metals.
Apparatus: 2 - 6 oz. styrofoam cups wire gauze
2 thermometers Bunsen burner
3 test tubes crucible tong
1 - 250mL beaker iron ring
2 - 400 mL beakers
cut Styrofoam cup or cardboard cut into 4” squares with a small hole in the
middle

Materials: unknown pure metal samples that will fit in a 22-mm test tube
Theory:
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, Q, is measured in energy units
such as joules (J) or calories (cal). Temperature, T, is measured in degrees Celsius,°C.
Temperature and heat are related to each other by the specific heat, cp, of a substance,
defined as the quantity of heat needed to raise the temperature one gram of a substance by
one degree Celsius (J/g-°C). The relationship between quantity of heat (Q), specific heat (cp),
mass (m) and temperature change (∆T) is mathematically expressed by the equation:

Q = mc pT or Joules = (g)(J / g − C)(C)

CHEM181: Chemistry for Engineers - Laboratory First Semester, AY 2021-2022

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∙ 0C. The SI unit
of energy is the joule and it is related to the calorie by: 1 calorie = 4.184 J. Thus, the specific
heat of water is also 4.184 J/g∙0C. The specific heat of a substance relates to its capacity to
absorb heat energy. The higher the specific heat of a substance the more energy
required to change its temperature.

In this experiment, calorimetry is used 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 losses to the
surroundings. It is safe to assume that all the heat lost by the metal (Q x) is absorbed by the
water and is equal to the heat gained by the water, (Q w). Since the specific heat of water is
known the heat gained by water can be calculated:
Qw = m w c p w Tw heat gained by water

Q x = ─m x c p x Tx heat lost by metal

Qx = Qw heat lost by metal is equal to the heat gained by water

─mxcpx Tx = mwcpw Tw

mwcpw Tw
cpx =
─mxTx
This relationship can be used to calculate specific heat of a metal because both the mass of
the metal and its temperature change can be measured.

Procedure: The experimental set-up should look like Figure 1 below:

Metal

Figure 5. Calorimeter set-up

Source: https://www.google.com.ph/search?hl=en-
PH&ei=rH8iW_GyD5Gf9QOby77ICA&tbm=isch&q=heating+beaker+on+iron+stand&oq=&gs_l=#imgrc=9Ni17dAgBwOXFM:
CHEM181: Chemistry for Engineers - Laboratory First Semester, AY 2021-2022

1. Weigh a dry metal sample. Record the mass and the name of the metal on the Table 1.
2. Carefully slide the metal sample into a large dry test tube and put a thermometer beside
it in the test tube.
3. Attach the test tube to a iron stand and place it into an empty 400 mL beaker as shown in
Figure 5 above. The bottom of the test tube should be at least one – half inch above the
bottom of the beaker. Make sure that the height of the beaker is adjusted so that the hottest
part of the flame will be on the bottom of the beaker.
4. Fill the beaker with tap water so that 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. Heat the water in the beaker. As you are working, check the water and note when it starts
to boil. Turn down the burner but keep the water gently boiling. Do not do step 11 until the
water has been boiling for about ten minutes and the temperature in the test tube has
stabilized.
6. Nest two dry Styrofoam cups together, weigh them, and record the mass on Table 1.
7. Place 50-mL water in the nested Styrofoam cups, weigh and record the mass of the
Styrofoam cup with water.

8. Take the cardboard cover (or cut Styrofoam cup) for the Styrofoam cup and insert a
thermometer through the hole. The nested cups with the cardboard cover and the
thermometer are referred to as a calorimeter. If you just leave the calorimeter on the
bench top it might fall over and the thermometer might break, so put the whole set up into
a small beaker for stability. The cardboard cover must rest directly on top of the Styrofoam
cup and not on the beaker.
9. Measure and record the temperature of the water in the Styrofoam cup. Leave the
thermometer in the cover until you are ready to transfer the hot metal into the 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 on Table
1. Remove the thermometer from the test tube and set aside so it does not get mixed up
with the thermometer used in the calorimeter.
11. Transfer the metal from the test tube to the water in the calorimeter. It is important that the
transfer takes place quickly and carefully to minimize heat loss to the surroundings and to
avoid splashing. Remove the cardboard cover and thermometer from the calorimeter.
Loosen the test tube clamp on the iron stand, lift the clamp and test tube out of the boiler
and quickly slide the metal into the water in the calorimeter.
12. Immediately put the cardboard cover with the thermometer back on the Styrofoam cup.
Stir gently for 2-3 minutes while monitoring the temperature. Record the temperature after
it has remained constant for about one minute.
13. Repeat the procedure using other unknown metals.
CHEM181: Chemistry for Engineers - Laboratory First Semester, AY 2021-2022

14. Show complete solutions to all calculations.

15. Calculate the percentage error.

theoretical value − experimental value

Percentage Error =  100
theoretical value

16. Plot a graph using the specific heat of the metal versus the atomic mass of the
corresponding metal.

Results, Data and Calculations:

Table 1: Calorimetry Data

Metal A Metal B Metal C Metal D

Mass of water mw

Initial temperature of water in

Twi
the calorimeter
Final temperature of water
Tf
and metal
Change in temperature of
water in the calorimeter Tw
ΔTw = Tf - Twi

Specific heat of water c pw 4.184 J/g0C

Heat gained by water

Qw
Q w = mw c p w Tw
CHEM181: Chemistry for Engineers - Laboratory First Semester, AY 2021-2022

Table 2: Experimental Data for Unknown Metal Samples

Metal A Metal B Metal C Metal D

Mass of metal sample mx

Temperature of heated metal

Txi
sample

Final temperature of water

Tf
and metal

Change of temperature of
metal Tx
Tx = Tf − Txi

Heat lost by metal

Qx = ─m x c p x Tx = Q w Qx

Calculated Specific heat

of metal
c px
─mwcpw Tw
c px =
─mxTx

Name of the metal

Specific Heat of Metals:

Standard Calculated
Percentage
Metals specific heat specific heat
error
(theoretical value) (experimental value)
Aluminum 0.900 J/g0C

Copper 0.382 J/g0C

Iron 0.446 J/g0C

Magnesium 1.020 J/g0C

CHEM181: Chemistry for Engineers - Laboratory First Semester, AY 2021-2022

Calculations: Show complete solutions.

Graph: specific heat versus atomic mass

ATOMIC MASS
SPECIFIC HEAT

ATOMIC MASS
Questions:
1. Why is it important to have enough water in the calorimeter to completely cover the metal
sample?

2. Why was the metal sample heated in a dry test tube rather than in the boiling water?

3. The water in the beaker gets its heat energy from the _ and the water
in the calorimeter gets its heat energy from the _.

4. Based on the plotted graph, what relationship can be drawn between the atomic masses
of the metals and their specific heats?

5. What is the specific heat in J/g0C for a metal sample with a mass of 95.6 g which absorbs
841 J of energy when its temperature increases from 30.0 0C to 98.0 0C?

6. What effect does the initial temperature of the water have on the change in temperature
of the water after the hot metal is added? Explain your answer.