AP CHEMISTRY LAB FIVE REPORT

Calorimetry

Joseph Crapo
Period 1/2 R. Sears
11/12/10
Introduction:
The purpose of this lab is to determine the calorimeter constant for a designed

system, and then use that system and the derived constant to determine the enthalpy

change in an acid/base reaction. The constant was found by testing nonreactive

substances, and the acid/base reactions were then tested multiple times with four

combinations of two acids and two bases. This experiment requires a calorimeter, which

measures the temperature change of the system of a reaction, allowing the enthalpy

change for the studied reaction to be observed. All reactions produce two things: products

and an enthalpy change. The enthalpy change can be observed with the use of the

calorimeter, however, no calorimeter is made perfectly. A certain amount of heat will be

either absorbed from or by conductive elements of the system. Because each calorimeter

is uniquely composed, the amount of heat change that occurs due to the system and not

the reaction is unique to the calorimeter. This is tested and observed with the reaction of

cold and hot water, and is known as the calorimeter constant, and must be accounted for

in the calculation of the enthalpy change of tested reactions. In the tested acid/base

reactions, while each uses a different combination of acid and base, the net ionic equation

of all four reactions is the same ( H + OH => H20 ). So, following Hess's law, the

enthalpy changes for the reactions should be the same. And since all acid/base reactions

have the same net ionic equation, a universal enthalpy change for acid/base reactions can

be derived.
Reactions:

(acid/base reactants)

HCl + NaOH

HCl + KOH

HNO3 + NaOH

HNO3 + KOH

(net ionic equation)

H+ + OH- => H20

(calorimeter constant)

(mc∆T)warm water = -[(mc∆Τ)cold water + (Ccalorimeter∆T)]

Procedures:

A calorimeter was designed by puncturing a hole in the middle of the top of an

insulated coffee cup, to go along with a hole already present in the design of the top. The

temperature sensor of a probe was inserted in one hole, and a copper stirring rod in the

other hole. The heat flow of the reaction of 75.0 mL cold water and the same amount of

cold water was found, and then the procedures were repeated twice more to produce three

values which could then be averaged in order to derive a calorimeter constant. Then the

acid/base reactions were tested. The calorimeter was filled with 75.0 mL of 1.5M NaOH,

and 75.0 mL of 1.5M HCl was mixed in when both were at the same temperature. The

heat flow was observed and the reaction was repeated twice. The same reactions were

performed and measured with combinations of HCl and MOH, HNO3 and NaOH, and

HNO3 and MOH.

Data:

Water reactions

- Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Temperature of cold 13.6 14.0 11.0
water (degrees Celsius)
Temperature of hot water 64.0 65.8 55.4
(degrees Celsius)
Volume of cold water 75.0 75.0 75.0
(mL)
Volume of hot water 75.0 75.0 75.0
(mL)
Highest Temperature of 38.6 37.6 33.2
reaction(degrees Celsius)

Calorimeter constant

Mass of Average Average Average Average Average Calorimeter

water (hot temperature temperature temperature temperature temperature Constant
and cold of cold of hot water of change of change of
samples water Calorimeter cold water hot water
equal)
75.0 g 12.9 Celsius 61.7 Celsius 36.5 Celsius 23.6 Celsius -25.2 21.3J/°C
Celsius

HCl + NaOH reaction

- Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 average

Temperature of 19.6 20.0 19.8 19.8
HCl (Celsius)
Temperature of 19.6 20.4 19.8 19.9
NaOH (Celsius)
Temperature of 29.4 30.0 29.6 29.7
reacted substances
(Celsius)
 HCl + MH reaction

- Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 average

Temperature of 19.4 19.8 20.0 19.7
HCl (Celsius)
Temperature of 20.0 19.8 20.0 19.9
MOH (Celsius)
Temperature of 28.8 29.0 29.2 29.0
reacted substances
(Celsius)

HNO3 + NaOH reaction

- Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 average

Temperature of 19.4 19.2 19.8 19.5
HNO3 (Celsius)
Temperature of 19.4 19.6 19.6 19.5
NaOH (Celsius)
Temperature of 30.2 29.8 30.0 30.0
reacted substances
(Celsius)

HNO3 + MOH reaction

- Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 average

Temperature of 20.0 20.0 19.8 19.9
HNO3 (Celsius)
Temperature of 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0
MOH (Celsius)
Temperature of 29.4 29.0 28.8 29.1
reacted substances
(Celsius)

Enthalpy Change of Acid/Base reactions

Reaction Average Average Final Average Mass (g) Average

Initial T T (Celsius) Change in T Change in
(Celsius) (Celsius) Enthalpy (kJ)
HCl + NaOH 19.9 29.7 9.8 150 6.4
HCl + MOH 19.8 29.0 9.2 150 6.0
HNO3 + NaOH 19.5 30.0 10.5 150 6.8
HNO3 + MOH 20.0 29.1 9.1 150 5.9

Molar Enthalpy

reaction volume moles of moles H20 change in molar

reactant 1 reactant 1 produced enthalpy enthalpy
HCl + NaOH .075 L .1125 mol .1125 mol 6.4 kJ 57 kJ/mol
H2O
HCl + MOH .075 L .1125 mol .1125 mol 6.0 kJ 53 kJ/mol
H2O
HNO3 + .075 L .1125 mol .1125 mol 6.8 kJ 60 kJ/mol
NaOH H2O
HNO3 + .075 L .1125 mol .1125 mol 5.9 kJ 52 kJ/mol
MOH H2O
average 56 kJ/mol
H2O

Calculations:

Calorimeter Constant
(mc∆T)warm water = -[(mc∆Τ)cold water + (Ccalorimeter∆T)]
(75.0g*4.18J/g°C*-25.2°C) = -[(75.0g*4.18J/g°C*23.6°C) + (23.6°C*Ccalorimeter)
(-7900.2J) = -[(7398.6J) + (23.6°C*Ccalorimeter)
(-501.6J) = -23.6°C*Ccalorimeter
Ccalorimeter = 21.3J/°C

Change in Enthalpy
dH = Q = mCdT + (dT)Ccalorimeter
dH = (150g)(4.18J/g°C)(9.8°C) + 21.3J(9.8°C)
dH = 6144.6 J + 208.74 J = 6.4 kJ

Moles of water produced

HCl + NaOH => H20 + NaCl
H+ + OH- => H20
.075 L HCL * (1.5mol/1L) * (1molH20/1molHCL) = .1125 mol H20 produced

molar enthalpy
dH/mol = 6.9 kJ/.1125 mol H2O = 61.3 kJ/mol H2O
Results:

In this lab, multiple reactions between acids and bases were tested in a calorimeter

in order to measure the change in enthalpy of the reactions, which, all having the same

net ionic equation, all should have the same change in enthalpy following Hess's law,

which states that energy changes for a reaction are independent of the pathway. This

means that all equations with the same products and reactants will have the same change

in enthalpy, so the value which we determine for the change in enthalpy of an acid/base

reaction (an average of 56 kJ/mol H2O, with the lowest value being 53 kJ/mol H2O and

the highest 60kJ/mol H2O) could theoretically be used as a universal value for reactions

with the net ionic equation of H+ + OH- => H20.

There was a marginal amount of error in this lab, which can be almost entirely

explained by the calorimeter. While a good amount of error is removed with the

calorimeter constant, which accounts for the energy absorbed by the system, a certain

amount is not accounted for. This is the energy that escapes while the reaction is

occurring after the reactants have been mixed before the lid can be secured onto the cup

of the calorimeter. The longer the amount of time before the reaction is secured, the more

heat would escape and the lower the observed enthalpy change would be, while a quicker

movement to secure the calorimeter would produce higher enthalpy changes. These

differences in technique accounts for the variance between the change in enthalpies

between the various reactions, in which all other conditions are held constant.
Conclusion:

References: