Specific Heat Capacity of a Metal

Aim: The aim of this experiment is to find the different heat capacities of metals like brass,
copper, and aluminium.

Results:
Brass:
Time/s Temperature/
K
0 298.3
15 298.3
30 298.3
45 298.3
60 298.4
75 298.5
90 298.8
105 299.1
120 299.4
135 299.8
150 300.3
165 300.8
180 301.4
195 302.1
210 302.8
225 303.5
240 304.2
255 305.0
270 305.8
285 306.6
300 307.5
315 308.4
330 309.2
345 310.1
360 311.0
375 311.9
390 312.8
405 313.6
420 314.6
435 315.4
450 316.3
465 317.2
480 318.1
The Graph of the results:
 Iron Physics Lab As you can the
320.0
line is a curve and
from this we
calculate the
315.0 gradient and find
the specific heat
capacity of brass
310.0 using:
Temperature/K

VxI=mxcx
305.0 (ΔT/Δt)
where ΔT/Δt is the
gradient of the graph
300.0 I: the most
consistent value of I
during the period
295.0
from which (ΔT/Δt)
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 has been calculated.
Time/s

The values of the

Voltage and Current for the experiment of Iron are given as follows:

Voltage Current
9.23 3.03

After calculating the gradient (ΔT/Δt) from the graph we use the following formula and calculate
the specific heat capacity of brass:

V x I = m x c x (ΔT/Δt)

9.23 x 3.03 = 1 x c x (0.045)

My answer for the specific heat capacity is 621 JKg-1K-1

Copper:
Time/s Temperature/K
0 306.4
15 307.3
30 308.1
45 308.7
60 309.3
75 309.8
90 310.4
105 311.0
120 311.6
135 312.2
 150 312.8
165 313.4
180 314.1
195 314.8
210 315.5
225 316.2
240 317.0
255 317.8
270 318.3
285 318.9
300 319.6
315 320.4
330 321.2
345 321.9
360 322.6
375 323.3
390 324.0
405 324.8
420 325.5
435 326.2
450 327.0
465 327.7
480 328.4
The graph for these results is shown below:

Copper Specific Heat Capacity Lab As you can see

330.0
above the line is
almost straight
and perfect. From
325.0 this, we calculate
the gradient and
find the specific
320.0
heat capacity of
Temperature/K

Copper:
315.0
VxI=mxcx
(ΔT/Δt)
where ΔT/Δt is the
310.0
gradient of the
graph
I: the most
305.0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
consistent value of I
Time/s during the period
from which (ΔT/Δt)
has been calculated.
The values of the Voltage and Current for the experiment of Iron are given as follows:

Voltage Current
9.23 3.03

After calculating the gradient (ΔT/Δt) from the graph we use the following formula and calculate
the specific heat capacity of copper:

V x I = m x c x (ΔT/Δt)
= 9.23 x 3.03 = 1 x c x (0.175)

My specific Heat Capacity for Copper is 159 Jkg-1K-1

Iron:

Time/s Temperature/
K
0 299.4
15 299.7
30 300.0
45 300.3
60 300.8
75 301.4
90 302.0
105 302.8
120 303.6
135 304.4
150 305.3
165 306.3
180 307.2
195 308.3
210 309.4
225 310.5
240 311.6
255 312.7
270 313.7
285 314.8
300 315.9
315 317.0
330 318.1
345 319.2
360 320.2
375 321.2
390 322.3
405 323.3
 420 324.3
435 325.4
450 326.5
465 327.5
480 328.6
The graph of these results is as follows:
As you can see
Brass Physics Lab
above the line in the
335.0 graph is almost a
straight line. From
330.0
this, we calculate
325.0
the gradient and
find the specific
320.0 heat capacity of
Temperature/K

Iron:
315.0 Series1
VxI=mxcx
(ΔT/Δt)
310.0
where ΔT/Δt is the
gradient of the graph
305.0
I: the most consistent
value of I during the
300.0
period from which
(ΔT/Δt) has been
295.0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 calculated.
Time/s

The values of the

Voltage and Current for the experiment of Iron are given as follows:

Voltage Current
9.23 3.03

After calculating the gradient (ΔT/Δt) from the graph we use the following formula and calculate
the specific heat capacity of Iron:

V x I = m x c x (ΔT/Δt)
9.23 x 3.03 = 1 x c x (0.0625)

The value for my specific heat capacity for Iron is 447.47Jkg-1K-1

Conclusion:

In this experiment, the accepted values for the specific heat capacity of the metals I did for my
experiment are as follows:

Brass: 370 Jkg1K-1

Copper: 385 Jkg1K-1
Iron: 448 Jkg1K-1
Comparing these values with my values, I find a huge/small difference. From this, we can see that
finding the specific heat capacity is easier than finding the heat capacity of an object. When I look at
my results I was really close to the value of Iron. There is a great difference in my values of Brass and
copper.