Experiment 4 Specific Heat Capacity

Experiment 4 Specific Heat Capacity
ABSTRACT
The objective of this experiment is to measure the specific heat of several different substances. This
will be done by mixing two different substances and measuring their initial temperatures and then
measuring their final temperature as they come to thermal equilibrium.
1. Introduction
Heat is the energy transferred from one body to another due to the difference of the
temperature . transferring of energy occurs when two bodies at different temperature are
bought together . An example of this heat flows, where heat flows from the hotter to the
colder . An increase the temperature of the colder body and decrease in the temperature of the
hotter body is usually the effect of the energy of the transfer .
The amount of the heat required to raise the temperature of the substance by a certain
numbers of degrees divided by the amount of heat required to raise of the temperature of an
equal mass of water by the same number of degrees is called specific heat.
2. Objectives/ Aim of the experiment
2.1 To compare the measured values and theoretical results of specific heat capacity
2.2 To measure the specific heat capacity of calorimeter and know metal
2.3 To determine the specific heat capacity of two unknown metal and identify the material of
unknown metal
3. Materials and Apparatus
Calorimeter, Celsius thermometer, beaker, electric hot plate, balance, string and various metals.
1
4. Procedure
1. Fill a beaker about half full of water. Place on the hot plate and start boiling the water. This will
take several minutes.
2. Measure the mass of the given metal. Record all data in the data table. 1
3. Attach a string to the metal and lower it into the hot water. The metal should be completely
submerged under water. Allow the metal to sit in the water throughout the boiling process and for
5 minutes while the water is boiling. With the metal being in the boiling water for this much time,
we will make the assumption that the temperature of the metal is the same as the temperature of
the boiling water. While this is going on, proceed to the next step.
4. Measure the mass of the empty calorimeter cup, mc.
5. Fill the calorimeter cup about half full of cold water. Measure the mass of the cup and the
water, mc+w. Subtract the mass of the cup to obtain the mass of the cold water, mw.
6. Measure the initial temperature of the cold water, Ti,w.
7. Measure the temperature of the boiling water. This is equal to the initial temperature of the hot
metal, Ti,m.
8. Using the string, pull the metal out of the boiling water and carefully transfer it to the
calorimeter cup containing the cold water.
9. Stir the cold water and watch as the temperature of the cold water rises. When it reaches it
highest value (it stops increasing), read this temperature as the final equilibrium temperature, Tf .
10. Repeat the above process for a different met
5 Results
Experiments on specific heat of metal screws

A. To find heat capacity of Styrofoam cup
calorimeter Before mixing
-
Volume of cold water vc = 50 ml
- Initial temperature of cold water T1 = 25 C
-
Volume of hot water vh = 50 ml
- Initial temperature of hot water T2 = 98 C
- Mass of Styrofoam cup mcup = 6.2 g
- Initial temperature of Styrofoam cup T3 = 25
C After mixing
- Final temperature of warm water T4 = 58 C
-
This may also be assumed as the temperature reached by the Styrofoam
cup Calculation
Mass of cold water mc = density of water x volume of cold water =

1000kg/m3* 50ml = 0.05kg
kgss of hot water mh = density of water x volume of hot water
0.05 kg Heat gain by Styrofoam cup = mcupccup(T4 – T3)= 6.2(4.2)( 58 – 28(=781.2 j
Heat gain by cold water = mccw(T4 – T1) =0.05(4200)(58-25)= 6930j

Heat loss by hot water = mhcw(T2 –
T4)= 0.05(4200)(98-58)= 8400j
(You may use density of water as 1000 kg/m3 and specific heat of water cw as 4200 J/kg.K)
2
Results
Combing the equations for the change in heat,
Q = cmΔT
With the principle of conservation of energy,
Qw = -Qs
We get
cwmwΔTw = csmsΔTs
Which we can re-arrange to find the specific heat of the sample
cs = – cwmwΔTw / (msΔTs)
CONCLUSION
This experiment is an extremely quick and relatively precise specific heat capacity test for a
solid sample. Anyone with access to a kitchen can do a form of this experiment and become
a thermal physicist.
3
REFERENCES
‘Theory of Heat’ – Maxwell, James Clerk – page 57-67 – Westport, Conn., Greenwood Press –
1970 :
https://archive.org/details/theoryheat04maxwgoog/page/n77
‘The Edinburgh Encyclopedia Conducted by David Brewster’, with the assistance of gentlemen
eminent in science and literature the first American edition – Published by Joseph and
Edward Parker in 1832 – page 294 :
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/amb.1978.25.3.176 published by Arthur
Donovan in 2013

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Experiment 4 Specific Heat Capacity

2. Objectives/ Aim of the experiment

3. Materials and Apparatus

Experiments on specific heat of metal screws

Mass of cold water mc = density of water x volume of cold water =

Heat gain by cold water = mccw(T4 – T1) =0.05(4200)(58-25)= 6930j

Combing the equations for the change in heat,

With the principle of conservation of energy,

cs = – cwmwΔTw / (msΔTs)

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