Download Specific Heat of a Metal

Specific Heat of a Metal
Name: ___________________
A
Partners: ______________
PURPOSE: During this investigation you will determine the specific heat of a metal.
PROCEDURE:
1. Measure, but do not record, the mass of the empty calorimeter cup. (The inner cup which
will hold the water). With the cup still on the balance adjust the sliders until the mass is
100 g more and then carefully add water to the cup until the balance is leveled again. You
have now added 100.000 g of water to the cup.
2. Place the lid on the calorimeter and put a thermometer through the hole in the lid. Allow the
thermometer to sit in the water for at least one minute then read the starting temperature
of the water.
3. Go to the larger beaker of boiling water that has a sample of metal in it and record the
temperature of that water and record this temperature as the starting temperature of the
metal
4. Quickly and carefully lift the top and thermometer off the calorimeter and use tongs to get
one piece of metal and put it into the water in the calorimeter. Then put the lid back on,
being careful not to break the thermometer on the metal inside.
5. Gently swirl the calorimeter and watch the thermometer. Record the highest temperature
reached by the water. (A few degrees increase is expected). This temperature is the final
temperature of the water and the metal.
6. Empty the water out of the calorimeter and dry both the metal piece and the calorimeter. Be
careful to dry the metal completely. Now measure and record the mass of the metal and the
symbol of the metal stamped on the end of the metal.
DATA:
Mass of metal
Mass of water
Starting temp of metal
Starting temp of water
Final temp of water & metal
Name of metal
100.000 g
CALCULATIONS:
Calculate the specific heat of your metal.
(-1) m · C · (Tf – Ti) = m · C · (Tf – Ti)
metal side
water side
QUESTIONS:
1. Determine the amount of heat needed to raise 500 g of Zn from 20°C to 55°C. The specific
heat of zinc is 0.402 J/g °C.
2. Calculate the specific heat of iron from the following data. When 40 g Fe at 100°C was
added to 100g of water at 20°C, the final temperature of the water and iron was 23.28°C.
3. Determine the specific heat of Al from the following data: When 50 g Al at 100°C were
added to 150g of water at 20°, the final temperature of the Al and water was 25.33°C.
4. How much heat must be added to 80 g of Zygorthium to raise its temperature from 293oC to
393 oC if the specific heat of Zygothium is .92 J/g oC?
5. The 80 g piece of Zygorthium is at 150 oC when it is put into 200.000 g of water at 0 oC.
Calculate the final temperature of the water. (see #4 for specific heat)
6. Determine what the final temperature would be if 50g of water at 30°C was added to 40g
water at 90°C.