Experiment 5: Method of Mixtures: Specific Heat Capacity

Introduction
Specific heat capacity of a substance is the amount of heat that must be supplied to
increase its temperature by 1 ℃ for a mass of 1kg of the substance. Specific heat capacity, c,
can be calculated by knowing the amount of heat supplied, Q to a mass, m, of a substance and
the resulting increase in temperature, ∆ θ .
When two materials with different temperature are in contact, heat will flow from
higher temperature to the lower temperature, until these two materials reach an equilibrium
temperature. The rule of calorimetry principle is also known as
Heat loss = Heat gained
The quantity of heat absorbed or released by a body is given by
Q = mc∆ θ (6.1)
In this experiment, a metal of mass, mm that has been heated to a high temperature, θ i
is dropped into a mass of water, mw at low temperature, θ f. When equilibrium is achieved, the
new temperature of the water-metal-calorimeter combination is measured as θ m. To arrive at
this equilibrium temperature, the water and calorimeter must have gained the heat lost by the
metals. By neglecting the heat lost to the surrounding, this situation is expressed by equation:
mm cm (θ i – θ f) = mw cw (θ f – θ i) + mc cc (θ f – θ i) (6.2)
Where:
cm = specific heat capacity of metal
mw = mass of metal
mm = mass of water
cw = specific heat capacity of water 4200 J/kg ℃
cc = specific heat capacity of calorimeter 900 J/kg ℃

Objective
To calculate the specific heat capacity of Aluminum (Al) and Iron (Fe) metal.

Apparatus and materials

1. 2-unit sample of metal (Aluminium and Iron)
2. 1 unit of calorimeter set
3. 1 unit of thermometer
4. 1 unit of hot plate
5. 1 unit of graduated cylinder 100ml
6. 1 unit of beaker 250ml
7. 1 unit of 500ml beaker
8. 1 meter of thread

Methodology
1. Graduated cylinder was used to poured 300 ml of water into 500ml beaker.
2. The mass of dry aluminium block, mm was measured and recorded.
3. The aluminium block with 50cm thread was tied.
4. The aluminium block was hanged by using a universal clamp and the block was
heated in the beaker until the water boiled. We ensure that the block did not touch the
beaker.
5. The mass of empty calorimeter was measured and recorded including the stirrer, mc.
6. 200ml of water was poured into the calorimeter. We waited for 2 minutes, then the
initial temperature of calorimeter, Ti was measured and recorded.
7. The mass of calorimeter with water, mcw was measured and recorded.
8. The temperature of boiling water and metal was noted and it was the same. Also, the
temperature of the aluminium block, Tm was recorded as soon as the water boils. Then
we quickly pulled it out of the boiling water and it was immersed into the calorimeter.
9. The highest temperature or equilibrium temperature, T f of the system was measured
and recorded before it starts falling while stirring the water.
10. The calorimeter was rinsed with cold water. Then we dried it and the whole
procedures with iron metal block was repeated.
RESULT DATA
Table 6.1

Parameter
Metal
Al Fe
Mass of the dry metal, mm (± kg) 0.0877 0.2504
Mass of the empty calorimeter with stirrer, mc (± kg) 0.2996 0.2996
Mass of calorimeter with stirrer and water, mcw (± kg) 0.5017 0.5017
Mass of water, mw (± kg) 0.2021 0.2021
Initial temperature of calorimeter with stirrer, Ti (± ˚C) 26℃ 26℃
Temperature of boiling water, Tm (± ˚C) 99℃ 99℃
Final temperature of metal after being immersed in the calorimeter, T f (± ˚C) 32℃ 37℃
Specific heat capacity of metal (J/kg.˚C) 1142.08 792.48
Theoretical value of specific heat capacity of metal (J/kg.˚C) 900 450
Percentage Difference 26.9% 76.11%

ANALYSIS
1. Calculate the specific heat capacity of Al and Fe metal block.
 2. Calculate the percentage difference between your calculated specific heat capacity
and its theoretical value.

3. State the reason for stirring the water before taking the temperature reading at the end
of the experiment.

Since it is crucial for determining the properties of the materials used in the
experiment, the temperature of the solution in a calorimeter must be precisely
measured. In order to evenly spread the heat in the system, it is necessary to stir the
water in the calorimetry cup while doing this.

4. Justify the selection of water as the cooling medium for this experiment.

When compared to other liquids, water has a high specific heat, making it the liquid
substance with the highest specific heat at room temperature. Because of these
qualities, water is frequently utilised in cooling applications.

DISCUSSION
At the end of the experiment the results went as expected. Which is iron having a
much lower heat capacity compared to aluminum. Heat capacity is the amount of heat energy
required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius.
Aluminium has a higher specific heat capacity than iron, which means it takes more energy to
raise a unit mass of aluminium by one degree Celsius than iron. This due to the way electrons
are arranged in the atoms also affects heat capacity. Iron has a particular arrangement of
electrons that makes its atoms form stronger bonds and store less heat energy. On the other
hand, aluminium has a simpler arrangement that allows its atoms to store more heat energy.
In this experiment, we were not able to get an accurate data for the iron, Fe block
because the percentage difference is 75.11% and the aluminium, Al block which is 26.9. The
heat capacity theoretical for iron is 450 J/kg ℃ meanwhile the theoretical heat capacity for
aluminium is 900 J/kg℃ . The experimental heat capacity which is was what we got during
the experiment for iron is 792.48 J/kg ℃ and for aluminium is 1142.08 J/kg℃ . The
experimental value and the theoretical value are not the same this is due to many errors that
had been made during the experiment that impacted the result. Some of the reason includes
heat loss occurred when the metal was transferred into the calorimeter, the calorimeter itself
lost heat, and the balance and thermometer employed in this experiment lacked precision.
There could be a parallax where we did not read the thermometer at an eye level.
CONCLUSION
The purpose of this experiment was to calculate the specific heat capacity of
Aluminium (Al) and Iron (Fe) metal. Which is for iron is 792.48 J/kg ℃ and for aluminium
is 1142.08 J/kg℃ . The method of mixture can be used to measured the specific heat capacity.