AP CHEMISTRY LAB

CALORIMETRY
INTRODUCTION for Determining a Calorimeter Constant:

Chemical and physical changes are always accompanied by a change in energy. Most commonly, this energy change is
observed as a flow of heat energy either into or out of the system under study. Heat flows are measured in an
instrument called a calorimeter. There are specific types of calorimeters for specific reasons, but all calorimeters
contain the same basic components. They are insulated to prevent loss or gain of heat energy between the calorimeter
and its surroundings. They also contain a heat sink that can absorb or provide the energy for the process under study.
The most common material used as a heat sink for calorimeters is water because of its ready availability and large heat
capacity. Calorimeters also must contain some device for the measurement of temperature, because it is from the
temperature change of the calorimeter and its contents that the magnitude of the heat flow is calculated.

To determine the heat flow for a process, the calorimeter typically is filled with a weighed amount of water. The
process that releases or absorbs heat is then performed within the calorimeter, and the temperature of the water in
the calorimeter is monitored. From the mass of water in the calorimeter, and from the temperature change of the
water, the quantity of heat transferred by the process can be determined.

Although the plastic foam material from which your calorimeter is constructed does not conduct heat well, it does still
absorb some heat. In addition, a small quantity of heat may be transferred to or from the metal wire used for stirring
the calorimeter’s contents or to the metal temperature probe used to measure the temperature changes. Some heat
energy may also be lost through the opening of the calorimeter’s cover. Therefore, the calorimeter will be calibrated
using a known system before it is used in the determination of the heat flows in unknown systems. Rather than
determining the influence of each of these mechanisms mentioned separately, a function called the calorimeter
constant can be determined for a given calorimeter. The calorimeter constant represents what portion of the heat
flow of the process done in the calorimeter goes to the apparatus itself rather than affecting the temperature of the
heat sink. Once the calorimeter constant has been determined for a given apparatus, the valued determined can be
applied whenever that calorimeter is used in subsequent experiments.

As discussed, the temperature changes undergone by the heat sink are used to calculate the quantity of heat energy
that flows during a chemical or physical process conducted in the calorimeter. When a sample of any substance
changes in temperature, the quantity of heat, q, involved in the temperature change is found by

q =mCΔT (eq. 1)

where m is the mass of the substance, ΔT is the temperature change, and C is a quantity called the specific heat of
the substance. The specific heat represents the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of the
substance by 1°C. Although the specific heat is not constant over all temperatures, it remains constant for many
substances over fairly broad ranges of temperatures (such as this lab). The unit for specific heat is kJ/g·°C when using
mass—it is kJ/mol·°C when using moles.

To determine the calorimeter constant for our apparatus, we will make use of the principle of the conservation of
energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed during a process but can only be transformed form one form to another
or transferred from one part of the universe to another. A measured quantity of cold water is placed in the
calorimeter to be calibrated and is allowed to come to thermal equilibrium with the calorimeter (become the same
temperature). Then a measured quantity of warm water is added to the cold water in the calorimeter. Since the
energy contained in the warm water is conserved, we can make the following accounting of the energy:

qwarm water = −[qcold water + qcalorimeter] (eq. 2)

The minus sign in this equation is necessary because the warm water is losing energy whereas the cold water and
calorimeter are gaining energy. Because the calorimeter is considered to be a complete single unit, the amount of
heat absorbed by the calorimeter, qcalorimeter, can be found by:

qcalorimeter = CcalorimeterΔT (eq. 3)

in which ΔT is the temperature change undergone by the calorimeter, and C calorimeter is the calorimeter constant, which
represents the number of kJ of heat needed to warm the calorimeter by 1°C.
 -2-

Applying the three equations on the previous page, we can come up with the following equation:

(mCΔT)warm water = −[(mCΔT)cold water + (CcalorimeterΔT)] (eq. 1)

Since the specific heat of water is effectively constant over the range of temperatures in this lab, both samples of
water will have the same value for specific heat:

Cwater = 4.184 J/g·°C

From the two mass measurements, and the temperature changes, we can determine C calorimeter and will use this value
throughout the rest of the lab. It should also be noted, the ΔT for the cold water and the calorimeter are the same. It
will be important that you keep the same equipment for the entire lab, including the temperature probe.

INTRODUCTION for Determining the Specific Heat of a Metal:

Metallic substances generally have numerically small specific heats. Metals are good conductors of heat energy and
require very little input of energy to cause an increase in their temperature. In this lab, you will set up the
calorimeter as done in calibrating the calorimeter. You will heat a known mass of metal and then place it into the
calorimeter. Since the metal will lose energy upon placing in the water and the calorimeter will gain this energy, the
following relationship is upheld:

qmetal = −[qcold water + qcalorimeter] (eq. 4)

Consequently,

(mCΔT)metal = −[(mCΔT)cold water + (CcalorimeterΔT)] (eq. 5)

Then, by rearranging equation 5, we can use the following to determine the specific heat of the metal.

 mCΔT water  C calorimeter ΔT   (eq. 6)

Cmetal =   
 mΔT metal 

One thing you can do to make this equation a little easier to work, as long as you make ALL ΔT’s a positive quantity
(ΔTmetal will be negative if you use ΔT = Tf − Ti) you can drop the minus sign in the equation.
 CALORIMETER CALIBRATION
1. Begin heating up about 400 mL of distilled water in a 600 mL beaker. Get the
temperature between 70°C to 80°C.
2. Set up apparatus as shown in the diagram. Also set up the LoggerPro equipment to use
two temperature probes. Only one of these probes will be used with the calorimeter—use
the other probe to take any other temperatures that are needed.
3. Measure out 75.0 mL of water (use the distilled water) with a graduated cylinder and place
into the calorimeter. Cover with lid.
4. While the water is heating, monitor the water in the calorimeter and make sure its
temperature is constant. When constant, record the temperature.
5. When the water has reached 70 – 80C, using heat gloves, pour out 75 mL into a
graduated cylinder. Allow it to stand on the lab top for 2 – 3 minutes with occasional
stirring. Record the temperature at the end of this time. Continue to heat the remaining
water in the 600 mL beaker.
6. Quickly press “Collect” on the computer and remove the lid from the calorimeter and pour
the hot water into the calorimeter. Immediately replace the lid, stir the water with the
stirring wire for 30 seconds while you begin to monitor the temperature of the water
mixture. Record the highest temperature reached by the water in the calorimeter.
7. Repeat this 2 more times—be sure to dry out the calorimeter before beginning the next trial. You will use the average
value of the calorimeter constant for the other parts of this lab.

SPECIFIC HEAT OF METALS

1. Dry out the calorimeter before doing this part of the lab.
2. Measure out 75.0 mL of water (use the distilled water) with a graduated cylinder and place into the calorimeter. Cover
with lid.
3. Set up a 600 mL beaker half-filled with water on a ringstand and heat the water to boiling. When the water is boiling,
measure the temperature.
4. Obtain a metal sample and record its name. Weigh out 25 g of the metal—know the exact mass and record this
mass.
5. Place the metal sample into a clean, dry test tube and heat the test tube in the boiling water bath for at least 10
minutes to allow the metal to reach the temperature of the boiling water.
6. Record the temperature of the water in the calorimeter once it has become constant.
7. Remove the cover from the calorimeter and quickly transfer the metal to the calorimeter. Cover the calorimeter and
stir the water for 60 seconds while monitoring the temperature of the calorimeter. Record the highest temperature.
8. When finished, place the wet metal on the appropriate paper towel to dry.
9. Repeat this 2 more times.
AP CHEMISTRY LAB NAME: _____________________________________
CALORIMETRY PER: ____

PART 1: DETERMINATION OF A CALORIMETER CONSTANT

TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3
Mass (volume) of cold H2O
Temperature of cold H2O
Mass (volume) of warm H2O
Temperature of warm H2O
Final temperature reached
Temperature change—cold H2O and calorimeter
Temperature change—warm H2O
Calorimeter constant
Average calorimeter constant

PART 2: SPECIFIC HEAT OF METALS

metal used: TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3
Mass of metal
Mass (volume) of H2O
Initial temperature of H2O
initial temperature of metal
Final temperature of H2O + metal
Temperature change—H2O
Temperature change—metal
Specific heat of metal
Average specific heat of metal
Literature Value Reference:
Percent error in specific heat determination

QUESTIONS:
1. What effect on the calorimeter constant calculated would be observed if the calorimeter cup were made of a
conducting material (such as metal) rather than plastic foam?

2. Why is water typically used as the heat-absorbing liquid in calorimeters?

3. A unit of heat energy that was formerly frequently used was the calorie. Look up the definition of the calorie in the
textbook or a handbook and record it here.

4. Calculate the calorimeter constant for your calorimeter in cal/C.

5. If the specific heat of a substance were higher than that of water, how would the temperature change that occurred be
different?

6. Given 50.0 g of your metal and 100.0 mL of water, what would the final temperature become in your calorimeter after
the metal was heated to 100.0 C and the initial temperature of the water was 20.0 C?