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Medical Science: Physics: E MXCX T

The document summarizes a student's experiment investigating the calorific content of different nuts using calorimetry. Key points: 1) The student measured the temperature change over time of water in a calorimeter containing samples of different nuts to determine their energy output. 2) Preliminary tests showed nuts would extinguish in the calorimeter due to lack of oxygen, so an alternate method was used. 3) Results varied significantly from published data, likely because the student's method involved more heat loss than ideal bomb calorimetry.

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clinton1994
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46 views3 pages

Medical Science: Physics: E MXCX T

The document summarizes a student's experiment investigating the calorific content of different nuts using calorimetry. Key points: 1) The student measured the temperature change over time of water in a calorimeter containing samples of different nuts to determine their energy output. 2) Preliminary tests showed nuts would extinguish in the calorimeter due to lack of oxygen, so an alternate method was used. 3) Results varied significantly from published data, likely because the student's method involved more heat loss than ideal bomb calorimetry.

Uploaded by

clinton1994
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MEDICAL SCIENCE: PHYSICS

Investigating Fuels

Aim

In this experiment I will be using a variety of different nuts to test the calorific content of
them, I will weigh the mass of my samples to make sure it is a fair test, I will use a specific
amount of water every time (100ml) and I will measure the temperature change every 30s.

Background Theory

A calorimeter is a machine used in the chemistry lab to measure the heat flow generated by a
reaction. The two main types of calorimeters are the coffee cup calorimeter and the bomb
calorimeter. A coffee cup calorimeter is made from a Styrofoam coffee cup and a
thermometer that fits through a hole in the lid. A calorimeter is a container with two
chambers inside it, the first chamber holds the reaction you want to measure, for example
heat etc. The second chamber has a measured volume of water. These two chambers are
separated by a metal wall that conducts the heat from the reaction to the water without letting
any of the water mix in. They are both insulated so the heat stays inside the calorimeter as
much as possible, this is to try and get the most accurate results, the thermometer measures
the temperature of the water and the calorimeter is sealed around the thermometer to prevent
heat and water from escaping.

Specific Heat Capacity

E=m x c x ∆ T

Water 4.2 J/g0C

Preliminary Work
MEDICAL SCIENCE: PHYSICS

The aim of the preliminary work was to plan out our experiment to make sure we were going
to get the best results, we did a trial using a bomb calorimeter, we used a nut for our trial and
we were able to ignite the nut using the available apparatus but when we placed it into the
calorimeter the nut would extinguish due to a lack of oxygen, we put 100ml of water into the
outer vessel of the calorimeter we then connected the calorimeter to a power pack , chose a
nut which was a brazil nut and placed it in the coil of the calorimeter, as we turned on the
power pack a couple of seconds later the nut ignited, we then placed it in the inner vessel of
the calorimeter and it
extinguished because of the
lack of oxygen, we then
realised that we would have to
find a way to get oxygen into
the calorimeter or use another
method.

This is a basic diagram of the


method/ equipment used in a
calorimetery experiment.

Method

This is more like the calorimeter I


used for my experiment.
Results Table

Time (mins) 1 (Cashew) 2 (Almond) 3 (Hazel) 4 (Brazil) 5 (Walnut)


0 21.20 27.74 25.35 23.68 24.61
0.30 21.28 29.19 28.16 28.32 27.57
1 21.37 32.38 30.67 30.58 28.87
1.30 21.46 35.56 33.54 33.90 30.85
2 21.52 39.15 36.39 37.50 32.29
2.30 21.54 41.85 39.59 41.21 32.72
3 21.56 44.66 42.97 44.20 32.65
3.30 21.61 46.85 44.52 47.29 32.54
4 21.61 48.29 45.52 49.70 32.66
4.30 21.61 49.37 45.66 51.07 32.65
5 21.63 49.61 45.66 51.32 32.56
∆T (0C) 0.43 21.87 20.31 27.64 7.95
E (J) 180.6 9185.4 8530.2 11608.8 3339
MEDICAL SCIENCE: PHYSICS

Mass before 1.84 1.22 1.13 1.61 1.29


(g)
Mass after (g) 1.53 1.00 0.10 1.00 1.56

Mass burned 0.31 0.22 1.03 0.61 0.27


(g)
E/m (J/g) 583 417 828 190 123
Internet Correspondence

My Results Internet Correspondence Difference


Cashew : 583 KJ Cashew: 2314 KJ 1731 KJ
Almond: 417 KJ Almond: 2148 KJ 1731 KJ
Hazel: 828 KJ Hazel: 2629 KJ 1801 KJ
Brazil: 190 KJ Brazil: 2870 KJ 2680 KJ
Walnut: 123 KJ Walnut: 618 KJ 495 KJ

Conclusion/ Evaluation

These results do not really correspond to the ones on the internet, for example according to
my results the Hazel Nut releases the most heat energy, but according to published results on
the internet the Brazil nut releases the most heat energy. This could be due to many reasons
but the main one is that I was using a form of calorimetery where you use a different method;
I used a method where you place a beaker on top of a tripod with 100 ml’s of water in, and
then I used a pin and cork to place the nut below the beaker. Once the thermometer had been
placed in the beaker the nut was ignited, but because of the way this method works it doesn’t
give very accurate results as the heat from the nut isn’t just heating up the water, it’s also
heating up the beaker, the tripod and the air, so a lot of direct heat is lost in the process. This
is why I think my results are so different from the ones published on the internet.

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