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Heat

a

Uploaded by

arumugam gopal
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© © All Rights Reserved
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PHYS 1400: P H Y S I C A L S C I E N C E F O R G E N E R A L E D U C AT I O N L A B O R AT O R Y M A N U A L

Lab 04: S pe c ific Heat


INTRODUCTION
Not everything heats up the same way; if you have ever
boiled water, you probably already know this. The metal
saucepan gets very hot very quickly; it is soon too hot to
touch. But the water in the pan takes much longer to get
warm. Heat is energy, and what you are seeing is that the
metal pan needs less energy to increase its temperature,
and the water requires more energy. There are two things
to consider: the metal pan is a different material than the
water, and there is a different amount of each material.
Typically, the water will weigh more than the pan.
However, in this case we want to compare the materials
themselves, not the relative amounts.
Specific heat is defined as the amount of energy, or heat,
required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of substance by
1 degree Celsius. For water, 1 calorie of heat is needed to
raise 1 gram of water by 1°C, so its specific heat cw = 1 cal/g·
The red-hot coil heats up quickly, and has a much higher °C. The specific heat of aluminum is cAl = 0.217 cal/g·°C,
temperature than the water in the pan. But why does the iron has cFe = 0.113 cal/g°C, lead cPb = 0.031 cal/g·°C, and for
handle of the saucepan stay cool enough to grasp? brass cbr = 0.092 cal/g·°C. This means that is takes less heat
energy to raise the temperature of one gram of aluminum
than one gram of water, and even less heat to raise the temperature of one gram of lead.

OBJECTIVES
๏ Observe the difference between heat
and temperature
๏ Monitor the transfer of heat from one
substance to another
๏ Use these observations to calculate the
specific heat of an unknown substance
๏ Calculate the amount of error in an
experimental value
๏ Examine a procedure for sources of
experimental error
EQUIPMENT
๏ LabQuest
๏ Temperature probe
๏ Electric hot plate
๏ Heat-safe boiler cup
๏ Metal sample cubes
๏ Calorimeter
๏ Graduated cylinder
๏ Triple-beam balance
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
๏ Work in groups of three; you will need Do not measure the hot water in the boiler cup.
that many people cooperating
Definitely measure the cold water in the calorimeter.
simultaneously to use the apparatus
correctly and record accurate
measurements.
๏ Fill the boiler cup with sufficient water to submerge a metal sample cube. Use just enough water to completely cover
the cube (you don’t want to wait forever for that water to boil). Set the water to boil on the hot plate while you make
other measurements.
๏ Choose a sample cube. Measure and record the mass (ms).
๏ Submerge the sample in the open boiler cup and let it heat until the water boils. Allow the water to come to a full,
rolling boil. At this point, the water and the cube will be 100°C.
๏ While the sample is heating, prepare the calorimeter by adding a known mass of cold water.
๏ Weigh an empty beaker and record its mass (m1). Add cold water (colder than room temperature) until you have about
200ml of volume. Measure and record the mass (m2), then pour the water into the inner cup of the calorimeter.
๏ Connect the temperature probe to the LabQuest and switch it on. Use the instantaneous display of the temperature
under the Meter tab to monitor the temperature. You do not need to collect data over a timed trial. Wait until the
temperature has stabilized, and record the value on the LabQuest display.

LAB 04: SPECIFIC HEAT PAGE 1


PHYS 1400: P H Y S I C A L S C I E N C E F O R G E N E R A L E D U C AT I O N L A B O R AT O R Y M A N U A L

๏ Measure the initial temperature of the water (Tw) just before adding the cube to the calorimeter, and record it. Add the
sample to the calorimeter. Watch the LabQuest display, and when it stabilizes, record the final temperature of the
water + sample mixture (Tf).
๏ Repeat the experiment using a different cube. While it is heating, prepare the calorimeter again as previously,
replacing the water with fresh cold water (do not forget to re-measure the mass of the water). Repeat the measurements
of water Tw, and combined Tf.
DATA & ANALYSIS
If you have not already, organize your measurements into a neat table similar to the example shown below.

SAMPLE SAMPLE EMPTY W AT E R M A S S W AT E R SPECIFIC


FULL BEAKER FINAL TEMP
TRIAL MASS TEMP BEAKER m w = m 2– m 1 TEMP H E AT
m2 (g) TF (°C)
ms (g) TS (°C) m1 (g) (g) TW (°C) cs (cal/g·°C)

1 100°

2 100°

1. Subtract the mass of the empty calorimeter cup from the mass of the full calorimeter to determine the mass of the water:

2. Calculate the specific heat of the sample for each trial, using the premise that whatever heat is lost by the sample cube
must be gained by the water:
energy lost by cube = energy gained by water

Solving for the specific heat cs:

3. Average the values of cs for the two trials. Using this average value, determine which material the cube is made of.
4. Calculate the percent error for your average value:

5. What heats up more quickly, a material with a high or low specific heat? When you go to the beach, what do you notice
about the temperature of the sand compared to the temperature of the sea? Which has the higher specific heat? Why?
6. If you raised two same−sized cubes of metal (one iron, the other aluminum) from 20° to 100°, which cube required more
energy? If each is then submerged in a separate beaker of ice water (just at 0°), which beaker would have a higher final
temperature when they stabilize? Why?
7. If you raised two same−mass cubes of metal (one iron, the other aluminum) from 20° to 100°, which cube would require
more energy? If each is then submerged in a separate beaker of ice water (just at 0°), which beaker would have a higher
final temperature when they stabilize? Why?
8. Is your value for the specific heat close (within about 5%) to the predicted value? Are you over or under? Do you think it
is more likely to get an experimental value that is too low or too high? Explain why.
9. Suggest some ways to improve your measurements and increase the accuracy of your results. Think carefully here: we
do not need to improve the precision of the tools–think about technique! Specifically, think about the idea of
transporting energy, and whether the assumption that we started with is strictly accurate.
10. Please be sure to complete the quiz worksheet and submit it before you leave. No worksheets will be accepted for credit
after the end of the lab period.

LAB 04: SPECIFIC HEAT PAGE 2

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