1

Experiment on Law of Specific Heats

Guillan, Patrick A.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Santo Tomas, Espaa, Manila

ABSTRACT


The purpose of this experiment was to determine the molar heat capacities and specific heat capacities of
metals Compared to the literature value of Lead, Aluminum, Copper, Iron and Zinc, percentage differences
were 26.61%, 60.14%, 30.14%, 4.23%, 7.65% respectively. Thermal conductivity, reciprocal of density and
reciprocal of atomic weights were plotted against the specific heat of metal.


Introduction
A large part of chemistry is studying and
understanding the physical and chemical changes
that matter undergoes. Chemists identify on the basis
of their chemical and physical properties. The driving
force for most chemical and physical change is
energy, often in the form of thermal energy, heat. The
amount of energy can be measured quite accurately
and is called Specific Heat (expressed as

). It is
defined as the quantity of heat required to change an
objects temperature by one unit of temperature. The
relationship between the heat absorbed or released
by the system (q) and change in temperature (T)is
directly proportional thus the more substance is
heated, the more its temperature rises.

Specific Heat of a system is dependent on a
few factors. Specific Heat is dependent on the
amount of the sample present, it is an extensive
property.[1] In order to overcome the fact the specific
heat varies with the amount of the substance, derived
quantities are used for convenience. These derived
quantities are independent of the size of the sample
and defines heat capacity as an independent
property. Molar heat capacity, which is the amount of
heat required to raise the temperature per mole of a
pure substance and Specific heat capacity, which is
defined as the amount of heat required to raise the
temperature of 1 gram of substance by one unit of
temperature
4.184 J
1 g H
2
O
22.0C
23.0C

Figure 1. Specific Heat Capacity.

The First Law of thermodynamics is the
application of the conservation of energy, energy can
be converted from one form to another with the
interaction of heat, work and internal energy but it
cannot be created nor destroyed. Specific heat of a
sample can be determined by immersing a known
mass of warm sample of known temperature into a
known volume of water of a known temperature.
Energy, in a form of heat, will flow from the hot metal
to the water until it reaches equilibrium. From the First
Law of Thermodynamics, the sum of heat lost by the
metal and heat gained by the water is

, provided that the calorimeter would

provide perfect insulation so that the system would
undergo temperature change without any loss or gain
of heat from its surroundings. The coffee cup
calorimeter is a reasonably good insulator, with a
small heat lost by the system.[2]

Page 2 of 6

This experiments aims to determine the heat
capacities and molar heat capacities of metals which
are Aluminum, Copper, Iron, Lead and Zinc.

Experiment Detail
The researchers weighed 20-40 grams of
metal and transferred it into large test tubes. The
metals in the test tubes are then allowed to be heated
until the water has reached its boiling point (100 C).
The researchers recorded the initial temperature of
the material to the nearest 0.1C.

Figure 2. Boiling of the Metals
During the heating of the metal, the
temperature of 40ml of water in the calorimeter is
recorded every 10 seconds for 2 minutes. After
allowing the metal to be heated, the researchers
transferred the metal quickly into the calorimeter
without splashing. The temperature was monitored
and recorded, every 5 seconds for 3 minutes. Three
(3) trials were done by the researchers for each metal
given.














Results and Discussion
Figures 3, 4 . Before and After addition of Pb;
Time vs. Temperature Graphs


Figures 5,6 . Before and After addition of Cu;
Time vs. Temperature Graphs
24
26
28
0 50 100 150
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
Before the
addition of Lead
26
26.5
0 100 200 300 400
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
After the addition
of Lead
0
50
0 100 200 300 400
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
After the Addition
of Copper
23
24
25
0 50 100 150
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
Before the
Addition of Copper
Page 3 of 6



Figures 7, 8 . Before and After addition of Al;
Time vs. Temperature Graphs


Figures 9, 10 . Before and After addition of Fe;
Time vs. Temperature Graphs


Figures 10, 11 . Before and After addition of Zn;
Time vs. Temperature Graphs

Figures 3 11 Shows the plot of
temperature versus time on before and after the
addition of metals ( Lead, Copper, Aluminum, Iron
and Zinc). The graphs show that the energy, in the
form of heat, flows from the hot metal to the water
and after a period of time, the system went to
equilibrium. The heat gained by the water equals the
heat lost by the metal, assuming no loss or negligible
loss of heat to the surrounding environment.[3]

The specific heat of the metal can be
determined using the equation. The Specific heat
capacity and Molar specific heat were also
determined by the researchers. For convenience, the
derived quantities of specific heat were used; these
are independent on the amount of the sample.
The molar heat capacity was also compared with
Dulong and Petits value which is 24.9 J/molC .

23
24
25
0 50 100 150
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
Before the Addition
of Aluminum
24
24.2
24.4
0 100 200 300 400
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
After the Addition
of Aluminum
0
50
0 50 100 150
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
Before the Addtion
of Iron
29
29.5
30
0 100 200 300 400
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
After the Addtion
of Iron
20
25
30
0 50 100 150
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
Before the Addtion
of Zinc
26.4
26.6
26.8
27
0 100 200 300 400
T
e
m
p

(

C
)

Time (sec)
After the Addition of
Zinc
Page 4 of 6

Dulong and Petit discovered that all
investigated solids had a heat capacity of
approximately 2.49 * 10
4
J/kmol K at around 298K or
room temperature. However their explanation was not
sufficient when it was discovered that heat cacpacity
decreased as temperature approaches absolute zero.











































































Specific Heat of Metal
(J/gC)
% Difference
(Dulong and Petits
value)
Lead 0.08819 26.6145%
Copper 0.6275 60.14%
Aluminum 0.64466 30.14%
Iron 0.4270 4.23%
Zinc 0.41001 7.65%
The largest percentage difference were the
metals, Copper, Aluminum and Lead. The other
metals were determined to have a small percentage
difference of molar heat capacity compared to Dulong
and Petits value.
Computation for the Specific Heat:
(CmT)
lead
= (CmT)
water

((C)(15.3778 g)(73.9 C)) =((4.184
J/gC)(39.9215g)(0.6C))
C= 0.08819 J/gC
Literature Value of Specific Heat: 0.128 J/gC
Molar Mass: 207.2 g/mol
Molar Heat Capacity:
Cn = (C)(molar mass)
Cn = (0.08819 J/gC) (207.2 g/mol)
Cn = 18.2730 J/mol C
Dulong and Petits constant = 24.9 J/molC
% difference = 24.9 experimental value (Cn) x 100
24.9
= 24.9 18.2730 x 100 = 26.6145 %
24.9

Computation for the Specific Heat:
(CmT)copper = (CmT)water
((C)(2.114 g)(75.7 C)) =((4.184 J/gC)(40.001 g)(0.6C))
C= 0.6275 J/gC
Literature Value of Specific Heat: 0.386 J/gC
Molar Mass: 63.548 g/mol
Molar Heat Capacity:
Cn = (C)(molar mass)
Cn = (0.6275 9 J/gC) (63.546 g/mol)
Cn = 39.8751 J/mol C
Dulong and Petits constant = 24.9 J/molC
% difference = 24.9 experimental value (Cn) x 100
24.9
= 24.9 39.8751 x 100 = 60.14 %
24.9
Computation for the Specific Heat:
(CmT)aluminum = (CmT)water
((C)(2.038 g)(75.9 C)) =((4.184 J/gC)(39.722
g)(0.6C))
C= 0.64466 J/gC
Literature Value of Specific Heat: 0.900 J/gC
Molar Mass: 26.982 g/mol
Molar Heat Capacity:
Cn = (C)(molar mass)
Cn = (0.6447 9 J/gC) (26.982 g/mol)
Cn = 17.3953 J/mol C
Dulong and Petits constant = 24.9 J/molC
% difference = 24.9 experimental value (Cn) x 100
24.9
= 24.9 17.3953 x 100 = 30.14 %
24.9
Computation for the Specific Heat:
(CmT)iron = (CmT)water
((C)(28.9145 g)(70.5 C)) =((4.184 J/gC)(40.011
g)(5.2C))
C= 0.4270 J/gC
Literature Value of Specific Heat: 0.450 J/gC
Molar Mass: 55.845 g/mol
Molar Heat Capacity:
Cn = (C)(molar mass)
Cn = (0.4270 J/gC) (55.845 g/mol)
Cn = 23.8458 J/mol C
Dulong and Petits constant = 24.9 J/molC
% difference = 24.9 experimental value (Cn) x 100
24.9
= 24.9 23.8458 x 100 = 4.23 %
24.9
Computation for the Specific Heat:
(CmT)zinc = (CmT)water
((C)(18.8233 g)(73.4 C)) =((4.184
J/gC)(39.8221g)(3.4C))
C= 0.41001 J/gC
Literature Value of Specific Heat: 0.388 J/gC
Molar Mass: 65.38 g/mol
Molar Heat Capacity:
Cn = (C)(molar mass)
Cn = (0.4100 J/gC) (65.38 g/mol)
Cn = 26.8058 J/mol C
Dulong and Petits constant = 24.9 J/molC
% difference = 24.9 experimental value (Cn) x 100
24.9
= 24.9 23.8458 x 100 = 7.65 %
24.9
Page 5 of 6

A plot of Specific heat against the thermal
Conductivity was also graphed by the researchers.
Thermal Conductivity is the property of a material to
conduct heat. The R
2
value from the figures tells if the
data gathered by the researchers fits a linear
relationship. From the figure, it showed that the data
may considered to have a weak relationship. It may
considered that Thermal conductivity and specific
heat are quite clearly unrelated. Specific heat is a
macroscopic thermodynamic quantity, it does not tell
anything about the structure of the material. Heat
conductivity is a transport quantity and depends more
obviously on the microscopic mechanisms involved in
heat transfer.

Figure 12. Specific Heat vs Thermal Conductivity
A plot on Specific Heat against the reciprocal
of density was graphed. Another plot of Specific heat
against the reciprocal of atomic weight was also
graphed.

Figure 13. Specific Heat vs 1/ Density


Figure 14. Specific Heat vs 1/ Atomic Weight

Conclusion

One physical property of a substance is the
amount of energy it will absorb per unit of mass. This
property can be measured and is called Specific heat.
Derived quantities are used for convenience of having
the specific heat independent from the amount of the
sample. In the experiment, heat is transferred from
one object to another inside an insulated container
called a calorimeter.

The objectives of the experiment were met
but the results were not quite accurate, large
percentage differences for molar heat capacity were
obtained by the researchers. These values may be
due to human error, as the 2nd trial done by the
researchers might have significant heat loss to the
surroundings while transferring the hot metal from the
test tube to the calorimeter. Another error may be
uniformity of heat in the calorimeter, the water in the
calorimeter was not stirred, but shaked.


The researchers would like to recommend
for the future researchers to conduct more trials in
order to obtain better reading and replicability of
results which may lead to appropriate results.The
researchers would also like to recommend for the
future researchers to be quick In transferring the
metal into the calorimeter so as not to have significant
heat loss which may result of affecting the results
later on.





y = 148.63x + 99.655
R = 0.0776
0
200
400
600
0 0.5 1
T
h
e
r
m
a
l

C
o
n
d
u
c
t
i
v
i
t
y

Specific Heat
Specific Heat vs. Thermal
Conductivity
y = 0.5367x + 0.0117
R = 0.48
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0 0.5 1
1
/
d
e
n
s
i
t
y

Specific Heat
Specific Heat vs. 1/density
y = 0.0432x - 0.0015
R = 0.9984
0
0.02
0.04
0 0.5 1
1
/
a
t
o
m
i
c

w
e
i
g
h
t

Specific Heat
Specific Heat vs. 1/Atomic
Weight
Page 6 of 6

References

[1]http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/
docs/Specific_heat_capacity.html
[2]http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Th
ermodynamics/Laws_of_Thermodynamics/First_Law_
of_Thermodynamics
[3]Atkins, P. de Paula, J. Atkins Physical
Chemistry(10
th
ed.). Oxford University Press.(2014).