EXPERIMENT NO.

106 Specific Heat

INTRODUCTION
Heat refers to energy transferred from one body or substance to another in physical contact with
each other as a consequence of temperature difference. The transfer of heat can cause a substance to
undergo a change in temperature and or a change in phase. The amount of heat involved if there is
change in temperature is directly proportional to the product of the mass and amount of change in
temperature. It also depends on the nature of the material. Heat is expressed in calories in the CGS
system and British Thermal Unit or BTU in the FPS system but Joule is the basic unit for all forms of
energy. Conversion: 1 calorie = 4.186 J

This experiment will demonstrate a change in temperature upon mixing the substances in a
calorimeter. Students will be able to determine the specific heat of solid metal.

OBJECTIVES

1. To use the principles of calorimetry, specifically the Law of Heat Exchange, when combining objects
with different temperatures.

2. To use the Law of Heat Exchange in determining the specific heat of solid metal.

MATERIALS

1 pc aluminum or brass solid

1 pc beaker
1 pc electric stove
1 pc extension cord
1 pc thermometer
1 set calorimeter with stirrer
1 pc digital weighing scale

THEORY
Lo
Calorimetry is aat method
To of determining an unknown heat quantity using a calorimeter. It
utilizes the Law of Heat Exchange. When two or more substances
L
are mixed together in a calorimeter,
heat flows from hotter to colder substance. Then the algebraic sum of heat quantity released or lost by
at T
the hotter substance at higher temperature and the heat quantity absorbed or gained by the substance
L
at lower temperature must be zero. In symbols
The change in length ΔL is the differenceFigure
of the
1 final length from its initial length as in equation
1. Q +Q =0
LOSS GAINED (eqn. 1)
(eqn. 1)
When temperature of the entire mass of a substance change, the heat quantity involve Q is

Q=m c Δt (eqn. 2)

where:
Q = heat in calories, cal
m = mass in grams, g
Δt = change in temperature in C0
Δt=t−t o
t = final temperature in 0C
to= initial temperature in 0C
c = specific heat, cal/(g.Cᵒ)
Specific Heat (c) of a substance is the amount of needed to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a
substance by 1ᵒ.

TABLE 1. Specific Heats of Substances

Substance
c , specific heat capacity ( cal
g−C °)
Aluminum 0.2174
Beryllium 0.4760
Brass 0.0917
Copper 0.0932
ethanol 0.5800
ice 0.5017
iron 0.1123
lead 0.0310
Mercury 0.0329
Salt 0.2100
Silver 0.0560
water 1.000
PROCEDURE

Determination of Specific Heat of a Solid Metal

1. Fill the beaker with water ¾ full and heat it using the electric stove.

2. Weigh the metal of unknown specific heat and record it as mm

3. Immerse the metal (aluminum or copper) into the beaker with boiling water for heating by
holding the string and make sure that the metal will not touch the beaker. Boil it for least 20
minutes.

4. Weigh the inner cup of the calorimeter and record it as mass of calorimeter, m c

5. Fill the calorimeter cup with tap water (just enough to submerge the metal completely when
added into it). Weigh the calorimeter containing water and compute for mass of water by
subtracting the mass of calorimeter. Record the mass of water as m w.

6. Prepare the set–up by putting the calorimeter cup into the outer shell. Put the cover with the
stirrer and thermometer.

7. Consider the water to be in thermal equilibrium with the calorimeter. Take the thermometer’s
reading and record it as tw = tc.

8. Get the metal from boiling water and add it immediately into the prepared calorimeter and
cover it. Do not allow the thermometer to be in contact with the metal. Stir gently and wait for
the reading of the thermometer to become stable. Record it as final temperature of the
mixture, tmix. Assume that the initial temperature of the metal, tm = 100ᵒC as it has come
from the boiling water.

9. Formulate the equation in calculating the experimental value of specific heat of the metal by
using eqn. 1
Q LOSS(metal )+QGAINED(calorimter∧water )=0

10. Calculate experimental value for specific heat using the formulated equation in step #9.

11. See table 1 for the accepted value of specific heat of the metal considering the material used

12. Compare the experimental value with accepted value & compute the percentage error.
SET UP

Figure 1
 EXPERIMENT NO. 106 : SPECIFIC HEAT

Name Group No.

Course/Year Seat No.
Subject/Section Date

Determining the Specific Heat of a Metal Specimen

Mass of metal,
mm g

mc g
Mass of calorimeter,

mw g
Mass of water,

t
Initial temperature of metal, m

C

t
Initial temperature of calorimeter, c
C


tw C
In initial temperature of water,

t
Final temperature of mixture, mix
C

c
Experimental specific heat of metal, m cal/g-C

Actual specific heat of metal,

cm cal/g-C

Percentage Error %

Approved by:

Instructor Date