Experiment No.
Specific Heat Capacity of metal by Method of
Mixtures
Objective:
The purpose of this experiment is to determine the specific heat capacity
of a metal object and identity the metal based on its specific heat.
Theory:
The specific heat capacity is the amount of heat per unit mass required
to raise the temperature by one degree Celsius. The specific heat of
water is 4200 J/Kg K which is higher than any other common substance.
When the thermal energy flows into or out of an object, its temperature
changes. The amount of change depends on the mass of the object, the
material from which the object is made, and the temperature of the
environment. The specific heat of the material can be found using a
known quantity of water and a calorimeter. The calorimeter is relatively
well insulated so very little thermal energy will come from or go into
the surrounding air. Assume that thermal energy is conserved inside the
calorimeter. This means that whatever thermal energy is gained or lost
by an object put into the calorimeter is equal to the thermal energy
gained or lost by the water in the calorimeter. The equation describes
that the change in thermal energy, Q, depends on the mass, m, the
specific heat capacity, c, and the change in temperature, ∆T.
𝑸 = 𝒎𝒄∆𝑻 (1)
To determine the specific heat capacity of a substance, the method of
mixtures is often used. A vessel, called calorimeter (Figure 1), of known
1
specific heat capacity and a mass partially filled with a mass of water at
a temperature T1 and then mounted in a suitable manner so that it is
thermally insulated from the outside world.
A mass M of the substance of unknown specific heat capacity cm is
heated to a higher temperature T2 (usually in boiling water) and then
quickly transferred to the calorimeter; this will cause the metal to cool
and the water to increase in temperature.
The temperature of the calorimeter and the water contained quickly
rises to a value T3. It then slowly begins to fall as the heat is lost to the
room. If all the masses are measured in grams, the temperatures in
degrees Celsius and the specific heat capacities in calories per gram per
degree Celsius, the block of substance has thus given M cm (T2 –T3)
calories of heat to the calorimeter and the contained water. If no losses
occur, this must be equal to the heat gained by them, which is
𝑸𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 = −𝑸𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 (2)
where 𝑄𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 is the heat transferred to the water and Calorimeter and
𝑄𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 is the heat lossed from the metal. Therfore equation (2) becomes:
(mc cc+ mw cw) (T3 – T1)= - M cm (T3- T2) (3)
where cc and cw are the specific heat capacity of Calorimeter and water,
respectively. mc and mw are the mass of Calorimeter and water,
respectively. The calorimeter is made of copper and cc = 900 J/Kg˚k
Equipment:
• Beaker
• Copper Calorimeter
• Thermometer
• Heater
• Metal block
Figure 1
2
Procedures:
1. Put (100-150 g) water in a beaker and place a metal of mass (mc)
inside it and boil the water.
2. Put (100-150 g) water of mass (mw) in the calorimeter just enough
to cover the metal block and measure its temperature (T1).
3. Record the temperature of the boiling water (T2) then quickly
transfer the metal to the calorimeter and record the maximum
temperature of the water inside it (T3).
4. Finally calculate the specific heat capacity of metal from equation
(3).
Results:
Mass of block Mm =……… Kg
Mass of calorimeter mc = 0.07 Kg
Specific heat of the calorimeter cc= 900 J/KgK
Mass of the water mw = ……… Kg
Specific heat of the water cw = 4200 J/KgK
Room Temperature T1 = ……………..oC
Boiling Temperature T2 = …………….. oC
Mixture Temperature T3 = …………….. oC
The specific heat of the metal equal (cm) = …………….. J/KgK
