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Calorimetry Lab
The purpose of this lab is to measure the specific heat capacity of an unknown metal. We dont actually know the specific heat capacity of the metal, so our goal is not to get the right value. Rather, were focusing on the process of measurement and how to do calculations, as youll see below. aterials! "ot plate, beaker, string, nut#and#bolt combination, electronic balance, $tyrofoam cup, plastic soda#cup lid, thermometer. Pre-Lab Question The following %uestion will help prepare you for the analysis portion of the lab. & piece of metal with a mass of '( g and an initial Temperature of )( *+ is dropped into (,, g of water with an initial Temperature of '( *+. &fter sitting for -, minutes, the final Temperature of the water and metal together is measured to be .( *+. What is the specific heat capacity of the metal/ 0The specific heat capacity of water is ..-1. 23g *+4.

Lab Procedure -. 5ill a '(,m6 or larger beaker about 7 full with water. 8lace it on a hot plate and allow the water to boil. '. While waiting for the water to boil, measure the mass of one of the nut#and#bolt combos. Record the mass 0mmetal4 here!99999999999. '. easure the mass of a $tyrofoam cup. Record the mass 0mcup4 here!999999999999999.

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:. 5ill the $tyrofoam cup about halfway full with water. Record the mass of the cup#plus# water 0mcup ; water4 here! 999999999999. .. Tie at least -' inches of string around your metal nut and#bolt#combo. <rop the metal into the water, leaving the string hanging out so you can pull the metal out later. 8lace a soda cup lid on the cup, and place a thermometer through the hole on the lid and down into the water 0this is your Calorimeter4. &fter appro=imately ( minutes, record the temperature 0Ti4 here! 99999999999. (. Take the lid off the cup, and remove the metal using the string 0>?T@! <ont toss out the waterAyoull need the +alorimeter later on4. 6ower the metal into the beaker of boiling water 0like before, leave the string hanging over the edge of the beaker, so you can pull it out later4. +&BTC?>! De careful to lower the metal slowly so as not to break the beaker. 6eave the metal in the boiling water 0-,, *+4 for at least ( minutes. E. &fter about ( minutes, use the string to pull the metal out of the boiling water. <rop it into the +alorimeter, and wait for the temperature to stop rising 0:#( min4. easure the final temperature 0Tf4 here! 99999999999999.

Analysis Were going to use the e%uation F G m+HT to calculate the specific heat capacity of the metal. $ubtract! mcup and water I mcup G mwater! 99999999999g. The specific heat capacity of water cwater G ..-1. 23g*+. $ince the metal and the water reach e%uilibrium in the $tyrofoam cup, Tf metal G Tf water G Tf G99999999999999999 *+ 0this is what you recorded in step E above4. Therefore, JTmetal G Tf I-,, *+ G 99999999999999999. &nd JTwater G Tf#Ti water G 99999999999*+. mmetal G 999999999999g.

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The heat that transferred out of the metal G the heat that transferred into the water. Cn other words, #Fmetal G Fwater. $o use the e%uationA #0mmetalcmetal JTmetal4 G mwatercwater JTwater Ato solve for cmetal.

Record cmetal! 9999999999999 23g *+.

Questions -. &ssume the specific heat capacity of the metal is ,.., 23g *+. What is the percent error of the value you calculated/ Remember the E uation !or Percent Error: "E#perimental $alue % Accepted $alue& '())* +Accepted $alue,

'. What are some possible sources of error in the e=periment/ 0Think about the set#up4

:. What if you had used a greater mass of water in the calorimeter. Would you e=pect to have found a different value for cmetal/ @=plain.

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.. What if the specific heat capacity of water magically changed to a smaller number. Would you e=pect the final temperature Tfinal that you measured to be greater or smaller/ @=plain.