Introduction

Hydrocarbons are compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon atoms. Many common fuels
such as gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, aviation fuel, and natural gas are essentially mixtures of
hydrocarbons. Paraffin wax, used to make many candles, is a mixture of hydrocarbons with the
representative formula C H .
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Ethanol, a substituted hydrocarbon with the formula CH CH OH, is used as a gasoline additive
(gasohol) and as a gasoline substitute. Ethanol is an alcohola hydrocarbon derivative in which
one or more hydrogen atoms has been replaced by a hydroxyl group (OH). 1-propanol
(CH CH CH OH), 2-propanol (CH CH(OH)CH ), and 1-butanol (CH CH CH CH OH) are other
common alcohols.
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You will determine the heat of combustion of paraffin wax (in kJ/g), ethanol and the biodiesel
that you produce. You will first use the energy from burning paraffin wax to heat a known
quantity of water. By monitoring the temperature of the water, you can find the amount of heat
transferred to it (in kJ), using the formula
q = Cpmt
where q is heat, Cp is the specific heat capacity of water, m is the mass of water, and t is the
change in temperature of the water. Finally, the amount of fuel burned will be taken into account
by calculating the heat per gram of paraffin wax consumed in the combustion.
Requirements

Ethanol
~400 cm beaker
measuring cylinder
a lamp with a wick
temperature probe
tripod
a stand with a clamp
access to a balance
the sample of biodiesel that you produced
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Safety

eye protection must be worn, lab coat, precaution against burning accidents.

Procedure for data collection

1. Find and record the combined mass of the candle and its little metal tin.
2. Determine and record the mass of an empty beaker/pot. Add 100 mL of chilled water to
the beaker/pot. Determine and record the mass of the beaker and water.

3. Attach the thermometer to your apparatus by using a lid with a hole. Clamp your
apparatus to the stand and make sure to standardize the height of the apparatus, relative to
the fuel for every time you test a different fuel. Make sure that the thermometer does not
touch the bottom or the sides of the beaker/pot.
3. Measure the initial temperature of water, light the lamp and place it under the beaker/pot.
You will have to keep monitoring the thermometer, until it raises 10o.C.
3. Stir the water, and continue stirring it until the temperature raises 10o.C. Stop data
collection.
3. Repeat the procedure with the ethanol and your biodiesel, using fresh water in the beaker.
Data collection (continuation) and some data processing
1. Find the mass of water heated.
2. Calculate the heat absorbed by the water, q, using the formula in the introduction of this
experiment. For water, Cp is 4.18 J/gC. Change your final answer to kJ.

4. Find the mass of paraffin wax burned in grams.

5. Calculate the heat of combustion for paraffin wax in kJ/g by dividing step 3 by step 4. Use
your Step 3 and Step 4 answers.
6. Calculate the % efficiency of the experiment. Divide your experimental value (in kJ/g) by the
accepted value, and multiply the answer by 100. The accepted heat of combustion of paraffin
wax is 41.5 kJ/g.
7. Discuss heat loss factors that contribute to the inefficiency of the experiment.
8. Repeat the procedure with the ethanol and your biodiesel, using fresh water in the beaker.
The accepted heat of combustion for ethanol is 30.54 kJ/g. For the biodiesel, Compare this to
the thermal energy your biodiesel sample produced when it was burned. Petroleum diesel
(from crude oil) produces 43 kJ/g of thermal energy when burned.

Key words: combustion, alcohol, hydroxyl group, specific heat