Specific Heat Capacity of Copper

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Name: Date: 17/02/2012 Lab Partner: TITLE: Specific heat capacity of copper INTRODUCTION: We are going to calculate the Specific heat capacity of copper, which means that we’re going to measure how much heat is needed to raise the temperature of 1kg of the substance for one Kelvin. If we know that the specific heat capacity of water is 4.18 kJ it’s possible to calculate the specific heat capacity of copper as well. The only required information we need is the mass and change in temperature both for water and copper. HYPOTHESIS Prediction: I think the specific heat capacity of copper will be pretty low compared to the water’s. Explanation: Because of copper is a good conductor compared to water because the electrons jump from one element to the other more easily in copper than water. MATERIAL Copper tacks, a test tube, a test tube holder, a digital balance, a thermos with ~1 dl cold water, a digital thermometer and an electric kettle (with enough water to cover the element). PROCEDURE: 1: Fill the electric kettle with enough water to cover the heating copper. Also fill the thermos with cold water and the test tube to 50% with copper tacks. 2: First you measure the mass of the copper tacks and also try to get the mass of the water in the thermos as close to 0.1 kg since 1 dl of H20 = 0.1kg H20. 3: Using the test tube holder, sink the test tube with the copper in it into the 4: The electric kettle is now supposed to make the water boil and raise the temperature of the copper as close to 100ºC (T1cu) but it is not very likely that you will get exact 100ºC due to heat loss. This step will almost certainly take a couple of minutes. 4: Measure the temperature of the water in the thermos (T1w) and then add the tacks to the water in the thermos. 5: Now measure the temperature of the water (T2cu and T2w will have the same temperature). 6:

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