Name:_________________________________ Lab Section: _________ Group Number: __________

Lab Partners: _______________________________________________ Grade:____________

Physics 202
Lab 8
Calorimetry
Pre-Lab
Pre-lab Questions (turn in at start of lab)
1) Consider an experiment with an insulated calorimeter where all objects within it will exchange heat
until they are all at the same temperature. In the first experiment the calorimeter will contain an
aluminum cup, warm water and a cold cylinder of copper. Derive an algebraic expression for the
specific heat of copper in terms of masses, temperatures and specific heats (also record your
expression on question 3 of the lab).

2) Consider the same calorimeter now containing an aluminum cup, warm water and an ice cube initially
at zero Celsius. Derive an algebraic expression for the heat of fusion of ice in terms of masses,
temperatures and specific heats (also record your expression on question 7 of the lab).

3) Consider the same calorimeter now containing an aluminum cup, warm water and an ice cube initially
at less then zero Celsius. There are three possible final states of the system. Describe each possible final
state and write out the equation for the sum of the heats for each. Note that in all cases everything in the
calorimeter will end up at the same temperature.

Name:_________________________________ Lab Section: _________ Group Number: __________

Lab Partners: _______________________________________________ Grade:____________

Physics 202
Lab 8
Calorimetry
Introduction When heat is added to (or removed from) objects, they will either change temperature or
change phase. For temperature change, we write the heat as:
Q = mc(Tf-Ti)
Where m is the mass, c is the specific heat and we always write T as Tf-Ti. This means that objects that
gain energy have positive Q and objects that lose energy have negative Q. (Note that you should not
make any mcT terms negative, Tf-Ti will always give you the right sign.)
For phase change our equation is:
Q = mL
where L is the heat of fusion. In this case we need to explicitly include the sign when we write mL.
Objects that gain heat have positive Q and those that lose heat have negative Q. We can then write out the
sum of all heats for all objects and set equal to zero, for a closed system. Some possibly useful values:
Specific heat of ice = 2220 J/kg K
Specific heat of water = 4190 J/kg K
Specific heat of aluminum = 900 J/kg K
Heat of vaporization of water = 2256000 J/kg
Procedure, Part 1: Our calorimeter is insulated, meaning that very little heat is transferred between the
inside and outside. The objects within it will thus exchange heat with each other until they are all at the
same temperature. In the first experiment the calorimeter will contain an aluminum cup, warm water and
a cold cylinder of copper.
1) We will need to fill the cup about 2/3 full with warm tap water, recording the masses of the cup and
water below as we do so. (Wait until after the experiment to record the mass of copper.) Why do we
use water that is warm?

Put the cup and water inside the calorimeter. Add the cover and stick the temperature probe inside so that
the tip is submerged in the water. Record the temperature every 30 seconds (in a spreadsheet) for a few
minutes, until the temperature stabilizes. Go to the freezer, but do not open it. There should be a
thermometer probe inside it with the thermometer display on the outside. Read off the temperature on the
thermometer. Make sure all the groups in your lab section have a reading before you proceed. Bring
your calorimeter over to the freezer. Open the door and use the tongs inside to take a cylinder of copper
out of the bowl and place it in the calorimeter, covering the calorimeter right away. Return to your lab
bench and monitor the temperature of the mixture for a few minutes until it stabilizes. When you have all
the temperature data, remove the copper and dry and weigh it.
2) From the temperature data, record the initial and final temperatures of the water + cup and copper
(including error). How did you determine each one?

3) Using the equation from pre-lab question 1, compute the specific heat of copper below. Clearly show
your work. Also compute the error via propagation.

4) The accepted value of c for copper is 386 J (C) -1 kg-1, what is your percent error? How does this
compare with the error propagated from the specific heat equation? Explain any differences.

Procedure, Part 2: For the second experiment we will again use a cup and warm water, but this time we
will add an ice cube and determine its heat of fusion. Before doing this we will leave the ice out on the
table until it starts to melt, so its initial temperature will be 0C.
5) We will again need to fill the cup about 2/3 full with warm tap water, recording the masses of the cup
and water as we do so. Dont weigh or add the ice yet, but when you do, record it here.

Put on the lid and stick the temperature probe inside so that the tip is submerged in the water. Record the
temperature every 30 seconds for a few minutes, until the temperature stabilizes. While recording the
temperature, get a piece of ice and leave it on the table on a paper towel. When the ice starts to melt, dry
it and weigh it and add it to the calorimeter. Take temperature readings every 30 seconds while the ice is
melting and for a few minutes after the ice is all gone.
6) From the temperature data, what are the initial and final temperatures of the water + cup and ice?

7) Using the equation from pre-lab question 2, compute the heat of fusion below (including error from
propagation). Clearly show your work.

8) The accepted value for the heat of fusion of ice is 333000 J/kg, what is your percent error? How does
it compare with the error determined via propagation?

Post-lab Questions:
1) Suppose you forgot to let the ice warm up to 0C, but instead added it to the water at the temperature
of the freezer you found in part 1. What would have been the final temperature of the water in this
case? Show your work and explain.

2) Look at the percent error in your value of the specific heat of copper from question 4. Is this error
due to instrumental error of your thermometer or scale? Explain your answer. Where does this error
come from and how might you get a more accurate value (without changing the equipment used)?

3) What was the objective of this lab? Do you feel the objective was appropriately achieved? Why or
why not?

4) Name the two most significant sources of error in this experiment (Be specific do NOT say, for
example, human error or equipment limitations). Are these errors likely to be random or
systematic? Explain.

5) Describe some ways that the error in this lab could be reduced, including the possible purchase of
additional equipment.