General Physics 102 Laboratory script

Department of General Studies

Specific Heat Capacity

Objectives:

To measure the specific heat capacity of the unknown metal samples by using calorimeter.

Introduction:

If the amount of heat∆ Q added (or removed) from the substance, this will cause the temperature
to change by ∆ T .

∆Qα ∆T

In equation form, we can write

∆ Q=C ∆ T … … … … … … … … .(1)

Where the constant of proportionality C is called the heat capacity of the substance; that shows
the amount of heat required to change the temperature of an object by one degree difference.
However, the amount of the heat required to change the temperature of an object is also
proportional to the mass of the object. Hence, it is convenient to define specific heat capacity c:

C
c= … … … … … … … … … …(2)
m

Specific heat capacity c is the amount of the heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of
the substance by 1oC. The following equation is used to find out the specific heat capacity of any
substance including water.

∆ Q=m c ∆ T …………………. (3)

Where ∆ Q the amount of the heat applied (joule), m the mass of the sample (g), c the specific
heat capacity of the sample (joules/g oC), and,∆ T =T f −T i , the change in the temperature of the
sample (oC). Each substance has its own characteristic specific heat.

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To determine the specific heat of a metal, a sample of metal is heated in Erlenmeyer flask filled
with water to known temperature and then placed into a calorimeter containing some water near
room temperature. The metal will lose energy to the water and then decrease in temperature
while the water will gain energy and increase in temperature. Eventually a uniform temperature
will be reached through the system, which is the final temperature of the system. The heat lost
by metal equals the heat gained by the water. This can be expressed as

Heat lost by the metal = Heat gained by the water

∆ Q metal=∆ Qwater … … … … … … … … … … … … .(4 )

mmetal c metal ∆ T metal=mwater c water ∆ T water … ..(5)

Note that: ∆ T metal =T h−T f and ∆ T water =T f −T c

Where T his the initial temperature of the hot metal, T f is the final thermal equilibrium
temperature of the system, and T c is the initial temperature of the cold water and calorimeter.

If we know the initial masses and temperatures of the water and the metal and the final
temperature of the system, the specific heat of the metal can be calculated by

mwater∗c water∗(T f −T c )
c metal =
mmetal ¿(T ¿ ¿ h−T f )… … … (6) ¿

Questions:
Q1: How much heat is required to raise the temperature of 120 g of Aluminum from 25 oC to 60
o
C?

Q=m c Δ T

Q=120 * 0.896 *(60-25)

Q=3763 J

Q2: What is the specific heat capacity of iron if it takes 125 J of heat to raise 111 grams by 2.5
degrees Celsius?

Q=m c Δ T

c=Q /m* Δ T

c=125/111*2.5

c=0.45 J / g ℃

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Equipment:

1. 1 Cobra4 Wireless Manager.

2. 1 Cobra4 Wireless-Link
3. 1 Cobra4 Sensor-Unit Temperature, semiconductor.
4. 1 Support base variable
5. 1 Support rod.,stainl. steel, 600 mm
6. 1 Universal clamp.
7. 1 Boss head.
8. 1 Ring with boss head, i. d. = 10 cm.
9. 1 Wire gauze 160 mm x 160 mm, ceramic cen.
10. 1 Metal bodies, set of 3
11. 1 Lid for student calorimeter.
12. 1 Agitator rod.
13. 2 Felt sheet 100 mm x 100 mm.
14. 1 Erlenmeyer flask, wide neck, 250 ml.
15. 1 Glass beaker, short, 250 ml.
16. 1 Glass beaker, short, 400 ml
17. 1 Fishing line, l = 20 m.
18. 1 Butane burner, Labogaz 206 type .
19. 1 Butane cartridge. Figure 1: fundamental set-up
20. 1 Boiling chips, 200 g.

Procedure:

1. Measure the mass of metal sample by using balance (mmetal).

2. Fill the graduated flask with 100 ml of water then pour it to the calorimeter.
3. Fill at least 250 ml of water in the Erlenmeyer flask and add two boiling chips.
4. Thread a 40 cm length of fishing line through the metal body and knot it to make a loop.
5. Hang the metal body on the universal clamp.
6. Place the metal body into Erlenmeyer flask and be aware that the metal body doesn't not
touch the bottom of flask.
7. Place Erlenmeyer flask on the flame to heat it up. When the water boils, adjust the flame
so small that it just continues to boil.
8. Open cobra4 program on the desktop of your PC then all the necessary settings for
measured value recording will now be started.
9. Insert the temperature sensor through a hole in the lid of the calorimeter so that it dips
into the water but does not touch the bottom.
10. Click on start measurement recording button to start measuring the initial
temperature of the water (T c ) before dumping the metal inside the calorimeter, a
measured temperature value is now recorded every second.
11. Use agitator rod to stir the water and wait at least 100 s until the temperature display
remains constant.

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 12. Transfer the metal sample from the Erlenmeyer flask to the calorimeter. It is important
that the transfer take place quickly and carefully and the lid of calorimeter should be
immediately placed back on and that to minimize heat loss to the surroundings.
13. A gain by using agitator rod carefully stir the water in the calorimeter so that the heat in
the water is uniformly distributed.
14. Click on End measurement button , when the temperature remains constant or when it
slowly decreases.
15. Use the “Display options "button to enter a suitable name for the measurement
series under “Title.
16. Select the “Survey“tool in the main measure program with button to determine the
initial temperature in the calorimeterT c and the mixture temperature in the calorimeter
Tf.
17. Place the temperature sensor into Erlenmeyer flask to measure the hot metal temperature
Th.
18. Record your results in the table-1.

Results and calculations:

Table-1
Quantity Metal-1 Metal-2

Mass of metal (mmetal) 60g 60g

Mass of water (mwater) 100g 100g

Specific heat of water (c water) 4.186J/g oC 4.186J/g oC

99.3o 99.3o
Initial temperature of hot metal (Th) C C
26.8o 30.7o
Initial temperature of cold water (Tc) C C
30.9o 34.1o
Final Equilibrium temperature (Tf) C C

Heat gained by water, ∆ Q water 1716.26J 1423.24J

Heat lost by metal, ∆ Q metal 1846.8J 1506.12J

Specific heat of metal (cmetal) 0.42J/g oC 0.364J/g oC

Type of metal Iron brass

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Data analysis:
1. Calculate the specific heat capacity of the two metal (cmetal), using (eq.6). Record the value in
Table-1
C matel 1=-100*4.186*4.1/60*-68.4=0.42 this the cm for the (Fe)

C matel 2 = -100*4.186 *3.4/60*-65.2=0.364 this the cm for the (Brass)

2. Look up to the accepted value of the metal specific heat capacity in Table-2 below and
determine the type of metal. Record it in Table -1.

Table-2: Literature values

Brass C brass 0.385 J/g oC

Iron C iron 0.450 J/g oC

Aluminium C aluminum 0.896 J/g oC

3. Calculate the percentage difference between your experimental value and the accepted value
of specific heat capacity for the two metals.

0.450−0.42
error %(metal-1)= ×100=6.6 %
0.450

0.385−0.364
error% (metal-2)= × 100=5.4 %
0.385

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References:
1. Physics for Architects, Yehuda Salu; 2nd Edition, 2009. ISBN-13: 978-0741419293.
2. Heat capacity of metals with Cobra4 (PHYWE). Item no.: P2330160