SCH4U

Calorimetry Practice Questions

1. A 1.75 g sample of acetic acid, CH3CO2H, was burned in oxygen in a calorimeter. The calorimeter
contained 925 g of water and had a heat capacity of 2.53 kJ/oC. The temperature of the
calorimeter and its contents increased from 22.2 oC to 26.5 oC. What is the molar heat of
combustion of acetic acid?
Answer:
Acetic acid

Calorimeter

Water

m = 1.75 g

C = 2.53 kJ/oC

m = 925 g

= 2530 J/oC

mm = 60.05 g/mol

T = 26.5 22.2 = 4.3 oC

c = 4.18 J/goC
T = 4.3 oC

q acetic acid = qcalorimeter + qwater

=

CT + mc T

= (2530 J/oC)( 4.3 oC) + (925 g)( 4.18 J/goC)( 4.3 oC)
= 27 504 J or 27.5 kJ
Hcombustion acetic acid = -27.5 kJ/1.75 g x 60.05 g/mol = -944 kJ/mol
OR
nacetic acid = 1.75 g/60.05 = 0.0291 mol
Hcombustion acetic acid = -27.5 kJ/0.0291 mol = -945 kJ/mol

Calorimetry Practice Questions

2. A 3.5 g sample of quinine, C6H4O2, was burned in a calorimeter with a heat capacity of 3.43 kJ/oC
and contained 1.2 kg of water. The temperature of the calorimeter and water increased from
19.0 oC to 28.0 oC.
a) What is the molar enthalpy of combustion of quinine?
Answer:
Calorimeter

Quinine
m = 3.5 g

Water
o

m = 1200 g

c = 4.18 J/goC

C = 3.43 kJ/ C

mm = 108.09 g/mol

= 3430 J/ C
T = 9.0 oC

q quinine = qcalorimeter + qwater

=

CT + mcT

= (3430 J/oC)( 9.0 oC) + (1200 g)( 4.18 J/goC)( 9.0 oC)
= 76 014 J = 76.0 kJ

nquinine = 3.5 g/108.09 = 0.0324 mol

Hcombustion quinine = -76.0 kJ/0.0324 mol = -2350 kJ/mol

b) What is the specific enthalpy of combustion of quinine?

Hcombustion quinine = -76.0 kJ/3.5 g = -22 kJ/g

c) Write the thermochemical equation that represents the reaction.

C6H4O2 + 6O2
6CO2 + 2H2O + 2350 kJ

T = 9.0 oC

Calorimetry Practice Questions

3. The combustion of 1.00 mol of glucose, C6H12O6, releases 2820 kJ of heat. If 2.0 g of glucose is
burned in a calorimeter containing 1.0 kg of water, and the temperature increases by 3.5 oC, what
is the heat capacity of the calorimeter?
Answer:
Glucose

Calorimeter

Water

m = 2.0 g

C=?

m = 1000 g
c = 4.18 J/goC

mm = 180.16 g/mol
n = 2.0/180.16

T =3.5 oC

= 0.0111 mol
H = -2820 kJ/mol

qglucose = nH = (0.0111)(2820)
= 31.3 kJ or 31300J

q glucose = qcalorimeter + qwater

31300 = CT + mc T
31300 = C(3.5 oC) + (1000 g)( 4.18 J/goC)( 3.5 oC)
3.5 C = 116 670
C = 4760 J/oC or 4.8 kJ/oC

T = 3.5 oC

Calorimetry Practice Questions

4. The molar heat of combustion of sucrose, C12H22O11, liberates 5650 kJ of heat. A 100 g
calorimeter with a specific heat capacity of 17.5 J/goC contains 500 g of water. How many grams
of sucrose would have to be burned to increase the temperature of the water and calorimeter by
4.5oC?

Answer:
Sucrose

Calorimeter

m=?

m = 100 g

mm = 342.30 g/mol
H = -5650 kJ/mol

Water
m = 500 g
o

c = 17.5 J/g C

c = 4.18 J/goC

T =4.5 oC

T = 4.5 oC

q sucrose = qcalorimeter + qwater

= mcT

+ mc T

= (100)(17.5)(4.5 oC) + (500 g)( 4.18 J/goC)( 4.5 oC)

= 17 300 J or 17.3 kJ

H = q/n
n = q/ H = 17.3/5650 = 0.00306 mol
m = n x mm =( 0.00305)(342.30) = 1.05 g

Calorimetry Practice Questions

5. A 2.56 g sample of anthracene, C4H10, was burned in a calorimeter with a heat capacity of 0.428
kJ/oC. The calorimeter was immersed in 1500 mL of water. If the molar heat of combustion of
anthracene is -2400 kJ/mol, what would the final temperature of the water and calorimeter be if
the initial temperature is 22.4 oC?

Answer:
Calorimeter

Anthracene

Water
o

m = 2.56 g

C = 0.428 kJ/ C
o

mm = 58.12 g/mol

v = 1500 mL

Ti = 22.4 C

D = 1.0 g/mL

Tf = ?

m = 1500 g
c = 4.18 J/goC

H = -2400 kJ/mol

T =? oC

T = ? oC

nanthracene = 2.56/58.12 = 0.0440 mol

qanthracene = n H = (0.0440)(2400) = 105.6 kJ or 105600J

qanthracene = qcalorimeter + qwater

105600

= CT

+ mc T

105600 = (428) T + (1500 g)( 4.18 J/goC) T

105600 = 6698 T
T = 15.8 oC
Since the reaction is exothermic, the temperature of the calorimeter and the water will increase.
Therefore Tf = 22.4 + 15.8 = 38.2 oC

Calorimetry Practice Questions

6. Consider the following reaction:
C + O2
CO2 + 388.8 kJ
a) What quantity of heat will be released when 3.0 g of carbon burns?
Answer:
nC = 3.0/12.01 = 0.250 mol

H = -388 kJ/mol of Carbon

H = q/n
q = n H = (0.250)(388) = 97.2 kJ
Therefore 97.2 kJ will be released or 97 200J.

b) If the combustion of carbon takes place in a 1.3 kg calorimeter that is immersed in 1850 g of
water, the temperature of the system changes by 11.8 oC. What is the specific heat capacity
of the calorimeter?
Calorimeter

water

m = 1.3 kg = 1300 g

m = 1850 g

C=?

c = 4.18 J/g oC

T = 11.8 oC

T = 11.8 oC

qcarbon = qcalorimeter + qwater

97 200 = (1300)C(11.8) + (1850)(4.18)(11.8)
c = 0.388 J/goC

c) What might the calorimeter be made of?

copper