ETHANOL

CALCULATION
By Kalidas Parakkal Menon of IB 1 - D
Criteria Value observed
Mass of Copper Beaker 64.03 Grams
Mass of Water 98.28 Grams
Mass of Ethanol + Burner 207.86 Grams
Temperature before boiling 23 Degrees Celsius
Temperature After boiling 33 Degrees Celsius
Mass of ethanol + Burner after boiling 207.12 Grams

Values
Trial 1:

Trial 2:
Criteria Value observed
Mass of Copper Beaker 64.06 Grams
Mass of Water 98.18 Grams
Mass of Ethanol + Burner 207.12 Grams
Temperature before boiling 24 Degrees Celsius
Temperature After boiling 34 Degrees Celsius
Mass of ethanol + Burner after boiling 206.53 Grams

Calculation
Ethanol burnt = .74 g
Temperature raised = 10 degrees Celsius
Amount of energy needed to raise 100 gram of water by 10 degrees
Celsius = m1*c1*Δθ + m2*c2*Δθ where:
“m1” is mass of water
“c1” is specific heat capacity of water
“m2” is mass of water
“c2” is specific heat capacity of water
“Δθ” is difference between initial and final temperatures which remains
same for both substances as they undergo the same difference in
temperatures.

Therefore, by substituting the values, we get  (98.28 * 4.2 * 10) +

(64.03 * 0.38 *10) = 4371.074 J
4371.074 J is the amount of energy it took to raise 98.28 grams of water
sitting in a copper beaker of mass 64.03 grams through 10 degrees
Celsius (at standard pressure and room temperature)

Since .74 gram burnt 4371.074 J how much will 1 mole of ethanol burn.
Ethanol molecular formula = C2H5OH
Molar mass of Ethanol = 2*12.01 + 5*1.01 + 16 + 1.01 = 46.08
Therefore  one mole = 46.08 grams
Question: If .74 grams of ethanol burns 4371.074 J how much energy
will 46.08 grams (one mole) burn.
.74g = 4371.074 J
46.08g = x J
By cross multiplication, we get:
46.08∗4371.074
xJ= .74 = 272,187.959 J = 272.187959 kJ ~ 272.2 kJ

The theoretical value for the combustion of one mole of ethanol is 1371
kJ.
Error percentage = |Theoretical – Experimental|/ Theoretical
= ((1371 – 272.2) / 1371) *100 = 80.1458789 % ~ 80.1 %
Uncertainty Calculation:
Uncertainty for water: ± 0.01 grams
Uncertainty for copper beaker: ± 0.01 grams
Uncertainty for Thermometer: ± 0.5 degrees
In the formula “mcΔθ”, m and Δθ are variable values while c is a
constant.
Therefore uncertainty = (0.01/98.28 + 0.5/10 + 0.01/64.03 + 0.5/10) *
4.371074 = 0.438234818 ~ 0.4
Sources of error:

Systematic errors:
1. The ethanol cylinder continued burning even after the thermometer
showed a rise of 10 degrees Celsius.

This affects the amount of ethanol burnt which directly

impacts our calculation on how much energy one mole of
ethanol produces on combustion.

2. The weighing machine was not calibrated properly.

The weight not being calibrated properly affects our

calculation as this weight was used to understand how much
energy was spent in bringing 98.29 gram of water in a copper
beaker of 64.03 gram through 10 degrees Celsius.

3. The reading on the weighing machine was taken incorrectly.

 The wrong value of weight affects our calculation as this
weight was used to understand how much energy was spent
in bringing 98.29 gram of water in a copper beaker of 64.03
gram through 10 degrees Celsius.

4. The reading on the thermometer was taken incorrectly.

The wrong value on the thermometer affects our calculation

as this value was used to understand how much energy was
spent in bringing 98.29 gram of water in a copper beaker of
64.03 gram through 10 degrees Celsius. If the value on the
thermometer is more or less than 10 degrees

5. Impurities on the copper beaker may have disrupted the proper

heating by ethanol

The impurities on the copper beaker would have changed the

value obtained because of the amount of heat it took to
overcome those impurities and heat the copper beaker. This
directly affects our calculations which can result in a wrong
value as it would have taken more time to raise the water’s
temperature through 10 degrees Celsius.

6. Impurities in the water may have affected the value of amount of

ethanol burnt

The impurities in the water would have changed the value

obtained because of the amount of heat it took to overcome
those impurities and heat the actual compound. This directly
affects our calculations which can result in a wrong value as
it would have taken more time to raise the water’s
temperature through 10 degrees Celsius.
Random errors:
1. Air (in the form of natural air or A/C) may have disrupted the
natural flow of burning of ethanol.
This may have affected the rate at which the copper
beaker and water was conducting heat which leads to a
different value than the true value.

2. Heat may have been lost to the surroundings as the surface may not
have been a conducting surface.

This changes the value as the ethanol must have burnt more
than it was required to in order to maintain the heat flow.