Name of the lab report: Calorimetry and Heat Capacity of a Metal Pre-lab
Student’s name:
Panther ID:
CHM1045L
Section number:
TA Name:
Purpose: This experiment aims to draw a relationship between temperature change and heat
through calorimetry principles. Additionally, it investigates the transfer of heat energy
between a hot aluminum cylinder and water within a coffee cup calorimeter to determine the
specific heat capacity of aluminum.
Procedure:
The experiment started with weighing and noting an aluminum cylinder with dimensions 2
cm x 1.25 cm diameter.
A 250 mL beaker, filled with approximately 150 mL of distilled water, was placed on a hot
plate, and the temperature was set to maximum heat. The aluminum cylinder was fully
immersed in the water bath, ensuring complete coverage for uniform heating. The cylinder
was allowed to boil in the water bath for at least 5 minutes, timed using a stopwatch.
While the cylinder was heating, a coffee cup calorimeter was constructed
by assembling two Styrofoam cups, and its mass was measured and
recorded. 40.000 mL of distilled water was added to the calorimeter using
, a graduated cylinder, with adjustments made using a plasticํpipet to
achieve the desired mass of water. The masses of the cups were
subtracted to determine the actual mass of water in the calorimeter.
Once assembled, the calorimeter was placed on a magnetic stir plate, and a small magnetic
stir bar was placed at the bottom of the calorimeter. The stir plate was activated to ensure
thorough mixing of the water while setting up the remainder of the experiment.
A thermometer was placed inside the boiling water bath containing the aluminum cylinder to
monitor the temperature. The temperature was recorded once it reached close to 100 degrees
Celsius, indicating boiling, and the stopwatch was stopped.
The thermometer was then transferred to the top of the calorimeter, ensuring it did not
puncture the cup or touch the bottom. The temperature inside the calorimeter was recorded
every 5 seconds for 15 to 20 seconds using a digital thermometer.
After the temperature stabilized, the aluminum cylinder was quickly transferred into the
calorimeter using tongs, and the calorimeter was immediately covered. Temperature readings
were continued until the water temperature stabilized again for approximately 10 seconds.
The initial and final temperatures of the water were recorded, and the temperature change
(ΔT) was calculated. The water temperature change was used to determine the amount of heat
gained or lost by the water using the equation q=m*c*ΔT, where q represents heat energy, m
represents mass, c represents specific heat capacity, and ΔT represents temperature change.
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