CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL ANALYSIS

Determining the enthalpy of different alcohols

PRACTICAL REPORT
YEAR 10 CHEMISTRY/PHYSICS

AIM

The aim of this practical analysis is to investigate how different types of alcohols impact
the amount of energy released. By exposing water to heat from alcohol solutions with
differing amounts of carbon, we aim to measure the amount of energy water absorbs in
order to find the enthalpy of alcohol per gram

HYPOTHESIS

As the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol increases the amount of heat energy
released per gram of alcohol will also increase, resulting in a slower heating of water.
This is because alcohols with more carbon atoms have more covalent bonds. During
combustion reactions, these covalent bonds are broken, releasing energy, meaning that
more energy is released for alcohols with more carbon atoms. Therefore, we predict that
the greatest amount of energy will be released in alcohol solutions with high amounts of
carbon.

INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDANT VARIABLES

1. IV; The amount of carbons in the alcohol (achieved by using different alcohols).
2. DV; The amount of energy released per gram of alcohol through combustion.

CONTROLLED VARIABLES
Controlled variables are the factors that remain constant throughout the experiment to
ensure that the only variable being tested is the one being manipulated. In the practical
analysis on the effects of pH on beetroot cell membrane permeability, some controlled
variables could include:

1. Volume of Water: Use the same volume of water for each trial. This ensures that
the energy transferred to or from the water during the experiment remains
constant, allowing for a fair comparison between different
2. Change in temperature: Use the same temperature intervals (in this case, 20
degrees) for each test, regardless of starting temperature of water. I.e. if the initial
water temperature is 18° celsius, the ending temperature will be 20° higher, which
in this case is 38° celsius.
3. Height of water from flame
4. The use of the same equipment and materials for each sample: Use the same
equipment and materials for all the samples. Clean and sterilise the equipment
before use. Record the equipment and materials used. Different equipment may
have slightly different measurements/properties that could affect the end product.
5. The type and brand of alcohols used: Use the same type and brand of pH
Alcohols for all the samples. Different brands/types of alcohols can have slightly
different properties which have the potential to create variability in the results.
6. Data Collection: Use accurate and consistent methods for recording data, such as
temperature measurements and time intervals, to reduce errors and enhance the
precision of the re

MATERIALS

- Alcohols in Spirit Burner (each burner contains different alcohol)

➔ Ethanol
➔ Methanol
➔ Propanol
➔ Butanol
➔ Pentanol
- Thermometer
- Conical Flask
- Matches
- Retort Stand
- 100ml Measuring cylinder
- Stopwatch
- Boss Head clamp

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 - Heat Retardant Mat
- Safety Equipment
➔ Lap coat
➔ Protective Eyewear
➔ Heat-proof Gloves

PROCEDURE

1. Measure 100g of water and place in a beaker, then place a glass disk over the beaker
allowing for increased insulation

2. Attach beaker to the clamp of the retort stand and measure the initial temperature of
the water using a thermometer (place through the pouring side of the beaker)

3. Measure and record the weight of the spirit burner (while containing the alcohol,
prior to burning)

4. Light the wick of the burner

5. In intervals of 30 seconds, remove the glass disk and stir water using the
thermometer to better distribute heat within the beaker

6. Once the temperature reaches 10 degrees celsius more than the initial temperature,
extinguish the flame

7. Weigh the final mass of the spirit burner after the water has been heated

8. Calculate the energy that has been transferred to the water using equation q=mcΔT

9. Calculate the enthalpy of the combustion by dividing the energy transferred by the
mass of alcohol lost

DATA

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Average

Methanol 9.72 KJ 8.04 KJ 8.53 KJ 8.76 KJ

Ethanol 10.72 KJ 10.58 KJ 10.32 KJ 10.54 KJ

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 Propanol 15.20 KJ 15.77 KJ 13.27 KJ 14.75 KJ

Butanol 14.67 KJ 12.48 KJ 14.17 KJ 13.77 KJ

Pentanol 13.70 KJ 26.97 KJ 10.72 KJ 17.13 KJ

The graph shows that the results have a reasonably strong linear correlation, the amount
of energy released increasing as the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol does.

RESULTS

The results support the hypothesis. As the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol
solution increases, the amount of energy also increases. This can be shown in the results
as the methanol with 1 carbon atom released ~8.76 KJ per gram, whereas pentanol with 5
carbon atoms released ~17.13KJ per gram. This is because alcohols which contain more
carbon atoms subsequently contain more intracellular covalent bonds. When broken in
combustion reactions, they release energy. Therefore substances containing more carbon
atoms, due to their higher number of covalent bonds, release more energy. Despite
showing a reasonable trend, the results are riddled with outliers. Butanol showed a
sudden decrease in energy release, even though it should have maintained the steady
increase from methanol to propanol. Additionally, majority of Pentanol tests showed a
similar concern. 2 out of the 3 tests showed significantly lowered results, similar to that
of ethanol. However, the other test presented the most concerning outlier, doubling the
other 2 results at 26.97 KJ. This could have arised from a multitude of errors and

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inconsistencies. Being the final alcohol tested under a time restraint, the retrieval of the
results were rushed, which could easily result in the personal error of misinterpreting
the numbers on the scale.

EVALUATION OF METHOD

There are several mistakes that could be made while conducting this practical. each of
these mistakes has the potential to impact the results of the experiment;

1. Heat loss to surroundings: During the combustion process, heat can be lost to
the surrounding environment due to lack of insulation around the spirit burner
and conical flask. Loss of heat to the surrounding area results in a reduction in the
measured temperature change, leading to an underestimate of the heat released
and an inaccurate enthalpy determination. This could be rectified by properly
insulating the spirit burner and conical flask or, if possible, using a calorimeter.
2. Incomplete combustion: Incomplete combustion of alcohols can lead to the
creation of byproducts such as carbon monoxide (CO) and soot, rather than
exclusively creating carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapour (H2O). This
incomplete combustion results in an underestimation of the heat released, leading
to an inaccurately low enthalpy value. This could be avoided by placing the
alcohol in a spray system to allow more molecules to be in contact with oxygen at
any one time.
3. Inaccurate measurements: The most important part of the practical is
accurately measuring the volume of alcohol in the spirit burner before and after
lighting. Imprecise measurements can lead to significant inaccuracies in the
calculated enthalpy. Inaccurate volumetric measurements can stem from
imprecise measuring equipment, misreading volume markings, or not accounting
for temperature and atmospheric conditions. This mistake could be mitigated by
paying close attention to the volume markings and taking readings at eye level to
avoid parallax errors.

In conclusion, there are several mistakes that could be made while conducting the
practical Determining the enthalpy of different alcohols, and each of these mistakes has
the potential to impact the results of the experiment.

While there were significant errors in this prac, they do not completely negate its
strengths;

1. Basis for further studies: The data obtained from this experiment can serve as

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 foundation for further investigations and more advanced research.
2. Real world application: The knowledge gained from this experiment directly
applies to various fields, including the design and optimization of chemical
reactions, the development of more efficient fuels, and the improvement of
industrial processes.

Suggestions for further exploration:

Exploring additional alcohols: Extend the investigation to include a wider range of

alcohols with varying chain lengths and functional groups. This expansion would enable
researchers to establish trends across different alcohol types and provide a more
comprehensive overview of enthalpy changes within this class of compounds.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this practical analysis aimed to investigate the effects of alcohol type on
enthalpy. The results gathered indicate there is a significant relationship between the
number of carbon molecules in an alcohol and the amount of energy they release. This is
shown by the increase in energy release as the number of carbon molecules increases.
This result is the same as hypothesised. It is important to note that the accuracy of this
practical was reliant on several factors including the volume of water used, the
maintenance of controlled variables, and the accurate measurement of temperature. Any
deviation from these parameters could result in skewed results and compromise the
validity of the findings.