Class: Name: ( ) Date: Experiment 2c

2c Measuring the specific heat capacity of

aluminium

Objective
To measure the specific heat capacity of aluminium.

Background information
The specific heat capacity c of a substance is the energy transferred by
heating needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of the substance through
Q
1 °C. It is given by the equation: c = .
m∆T

Apparatus
❏ several 1-kg metal blocks ❏ 1 joulemeter
(aluminium, iron, copper, brass, ❏ 1 thermometer
steel) ❏ 1 polystyrene tile
❏ 1 low voltage immersion heater ❏ 1 bottle of oil
(50 W 12 V)
❏ cotton wool
❏ 1 power pack (0–12 V a.c./d.c.)

Procedure
Precaution 1 (a) Add a few drops of oil to the holes in an aluminium block.
1 A
 ir is a poor conductor Insert an immersion heater and a thermometer into the holes
of heat. Oil is added
to the holes of the (Fig 2c-1).
block to ensure a
good thermal contact
between the heater, Do not touch the heating
the thermometer and part of the heater until it immersion heater
has cooled down.
the block.
joulemeter
2 T
 he block is placed on
a polystyrene tile. This
minimizes the energy
loss to the bench. thermometer

aluminium block
cotton wool
12 V a.c.
power supply

polystyrene tile
Fig 2c-1

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 Experiment 2c Class: Name: ( ) Date:

(b) Wrap the block with cotton wool and place it on a polystyrene
tile.
(c) Record the initial temperature of the block.
(d) Record the initial joulemeter reading.

Precaution 2 (a) Switch on the heater.

Insert the heating part of
the heater totally into the
block before switching
it on. This avoids the
heater from overheating.
Precaution
This allows time for the
energy to be conducted
from the heater to the
whole block.
(b) Switch off the heater when the temperature of the block has
risen by about 10 °C.
(c) Record the highest temperature reached as the final
temperature.
(d) Record the final joulemeter reading.
3  ecord the results in Table 2c-1 and calculate the specific heat
R
capacity of aluminium.
✎ Results:

Aluminium
✐ The dials on the Mass m / kg 1.0
joulemeter are read
correct to the nearest Initial temperature T1 / °C 28.5
100 J. For more
accurate results, the Final temperature T2 / °C 35.0
graduations on the
rotating disc (to the Temperature change (∆T = T2 – T1) / °C 6.5
nearest 1 J) should
be read. Initial joulemeter reading J1 / J 98 300

Final joulemeter reading J2 / J 104 900

Energy supplied by heater (Q = J2 – J1) / J 6600

Specific heat capacity

Q 1020
(c = ) / J kg–1 °C–1
m∆T
Table 2c-1

4 Repeat the experiment with other metal blocks if time allows.

Discussion
✎ Why is the aluminium block wrapped with cotton wool?

This is to reduce energy loss to the surrounding air.

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Class: Name: ( ) Date: Experiment 2c

✐ The possible sources ✎ What is the possible source of error in this experiment?
of error should match
the measured value of c: Energy is lost to the surroundings.
e.g. c > 900 J kg−1 °C−1
— energy lost to the
surroundings
c < 900 J kg−1 °C−1
✎ Suggest a way to improve the accuracy of this experiment.
— energy
gained from the
Cover the top of the metal block with cotton wool.
surroundings

1 The specific heat capacity of aluminium is the energy

transferred by heating needed to raise the temperature
1 kg
of aluminium of mass ______________________ through
1 °C
______________________.

2 The standard value of the specific heat capacity of aluminium

900
is ______________________ J kg–1 °C–1.

Further thinking
✎ Is this experimental method suitable for determining the specific heat
capacity of wood? Explain your answer.

No. This is because wood is a bad conductor. It takes very long time for the energy

to be conducted from the heater to the whole block. In such long period of time, the

energy lost to the surroundings will be very significant and cause a large error to the

result.

New Physics at Work (Second Edition) © Oxford University Press 2007 11