Heat Lab Essay

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Specific Heat Lab BACKGROUND Calorimetry is used to determine the heat absorbed or released during a chemical reaction. . Specific heat is the amount of energy, measured in joules, needed to raise the temperature of one gram of the substance one Celsius degree. An important tool needed to figure out specific heat is a calorimeter. The calorimeter was designed in 1780 by a chemist named Antoine Lavoisier with help from a mathematician by the name of Pierre Simon de Laplace. Now a widespread tool, we will be using the calorimeter, and our knowledge of equations to find the specific heat of zinc and aluminum. OBJECTIVE/GOAL In this experiment we will  Measure the mass and temperature of water in a calorimeter  Heat a metal sample of a known mass to a specific temperature  Calculate the change in water temperature caused by adding the hot metal sample  Calculate the specific heat of the metal using your mass and temperature data PROCEDURE 1. Prepare a data table as directed in the Analysis. Safety goggles and lab apron must be worn for the experiment. 2. Fill a 250 cm³ beaker about 2/3 full with water. Place the beaker of water on a hot plate or ring stand with the wire gauze. Begin heating the water to the boiling point 3. Measure the mass of an empty, dry 18 x 150 mm test tube and record. 4. Add the sample metal pieces until the test tube is ¼ to 1/3 of the way full. Measure and record the mass of the test tube and metal. 5. Place the test tube containing the metal into the beaker of water and continue heating (10 min). Leave the test tube in the boiling water bath while you complete steps 6 and 7. 6. Obtain a plastic foam cup to be used as a calorimeter and measure the mass carefully. Record. 7. Fill the plastic cup about half full with distilled water at room temperature and record the mass. 8. While the test tube containing the metal is still
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