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Physics project calorimetry help?
For a physics project i'm using calorimetry to determine the specific heats of liquids and various solids, and when calibrating things i'm getting numbers that don't make sense. I'm using a 3/4 inch hex bolt of an unknown metal as the temperature changing agent, and i'm getting its temperature by dunking it in boiling water for about thirty seconds, then plopping it in a half cup of water in a styrofoam cup. I measured the specific heat of the nut and got 127, close to lead which seems reasonable, but then I used that value to get the specific heat of water and got 3000. Maybe my cheap thermometer fails? I just need to know if there are mistakes i'm already making, and any pitfalls that are common in calorimetry.
Thanks.
UPDATE- I added a second cup for insulation, and increased time for thermal equilibrium to occur. With those changes, I got around 4200 consistently for water's specific heat, so i've moved on with the project. turns out that various consumable fluids have drastically varying specific heats. so far orange juice is 1500, tomato soup is 2200, and gatorade is 3900. To go: Coca-cola, Lowfat and Vitamin D milk. i'm using a measure to pour it, and have determined the mass via measured density.
2 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
Thirty seconds may not be sufficient time for the hex bolt to reach steady state temperature. Try increasing the heating time and plot your results versus time to determine when steady state temperature is reached. Calorimetry experiments are VERY sensitive to heat losses. Is the styrofoam cup covered when you are measuring temperature? Remember-heat rises! How are you measuring the 1/2 cup of water in the cup? Can this volume be reproduced accurately and consistantly? To have a valid and successful project, you need to have the ability to reproduce your results.
- givanLv 44 years ago
a company foam around the egg - with a softer foam outdoors of that - and nonetheless softer greater outdoors - supply you the ideal effect. be sure the indoors foam that's in touch with the egg is formed nicely like the egg - no longer putting greater tension on all of us area of the egg.