Heat, Temperature and Calorimetry
Lab 8
Name:

Class:

Date:
02/08/2015
Purpose:
1. Verify that when 2 objects of different temperatures are placed in contact with each other, the heat transfer principle applies.
2. Learn how to read the temperature on a thermometer.
3. Discuss and learn the factors that affect the amount of heat that is transferred.
4. Determine the specific heat of an unknown metal.
Procedures:
Apparatus:
Thermometer
100ml graduated cylinder
Styrofoam cup (with cardboard cover)
Gram balance
Heat source
Physics string
Required Materials:
Metal objects
Ice water

1. Use about 100ml water in a saucepan and turn the stove heat on to boil the water.
2. Use a gram balance to measure the weight of the metal, measure 3 times and get the average value.
3. Place the unknown metal sample in the water using tongs. Let the sample boil for at least 5 minutes.
4. Use 100ml graduated cylinder to place 200ml of water in room temperature into the Styrofoam cup calorimeter.
5. Measure the temperature of water using the thermometer.
6. Use tongs to transfer the unknown metal sample to the Styrofoam calorimeter, cover the cup. Stir the water in the cup with thermometer very carefully. Record the highest temperature the water reaches.
7. Calculate the specific heat of the unknown metal.
8. Repeat the experiment 2 more time and take the average value.
Data:
1. For the weight of the unknown metal:
Test number
1
2
3
Weight(g)
110.53
110.50
110.57
2. For the temperature measurements:
Test Number
1
2
3
Initial T(℃)
26.5
27
26.5
Final T (℃)
30.82
31.61
29.98

Evaluation of Data:
Calculations:
1. Calculate the average weight: (110.53+110.50+110.57)/3=110.35g
2. Take test 1 as an example: calculate the specific heat: we assume that the heat lost by the metal are all absorbed by the water, therefore: mwcwΔTw=mmcmΔTm, then we have: mwcw(Tw,initial-Tw,final)=mmcm(Tm,final-Tm,initial) the specific heat of water is 1 cal/(gram℃)[1], the final temperature of the metal equals to the final temperature of water according to the zeroth law of thermodynamics[2].
Then we have: .
3. Calculate the average specific heat, we use 4. The results are shown in the table below:
Test Number
1
2
3
Initial T(℃)
26.5
27
26.5
Final T (℃)
30.82
31.61
29.98
Specific Heat(
0.11
0.12
0.09
Average
0.11

Graphs:

Results:
The specific heat of the unknown metal is calculated, the result is 0.11
Conclusions:
According to the zeroth law of thermodynamics, the final temperature of the metal and water should be the same in the Styrofoam cup to be in thermo equilibrium with each other, and according to energy conservation, assuming no heat lost in this case, then the lose of the metal’s heat would be the same with the increase of the water’s heat. Using the equation Q=mvΔT, we can calculate the specific heat of the unknown metal.

The average specific heat of the