Specific Heat Capacity of Given Solid by Method of Mixtures

The quantity of heat required to heat one gram of substance at 1°C is known as specific heat capacity. To determine the specific heat capacity of a given solid by the method of mixtures helps to understand the function of the specific heats along with this experiment clears all the doubts regarding how specific heats works. Please read the article below to learn how to use the mixes approach to find a solid's specific heat capacity. To use a mixtures method to get the specific heat capacity of a given solid is a great way to learn about the basics and how specific heat works.

Key Terms: Calorimeter, Thermometer, Avogadro's number, Radiation, hypsometer, Room Temperature

Also check: Potential Energy

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Aim

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To determine the specific heat capacity of a given solid by the method of mixtures.

Read More: Specific Heat Capacity

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Materials Required

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• A hypsometer
• Calorimeter
• Stirrer
• A lid and outer jacket
• Solid in small pieces
• Balance
• Weight box
• Two half-degree thermometer
• Coldwater
• Clamp stand

Note- Make sure to have all of these items on hand while doing the experiment. Another essential point is to ensure that students take the proper safety precautions while in the laboratory so that they can experiment properly and safely.

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Calorimeter

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A calorimeter is a device that measures the amount of heat that is produced by a chemical or physical reaction. Calorimetry is the process of determining how hot something is. It's made out of a metal container that holds water above the combustion chamber and a thermometer that measures temperature changes.3

Read More: Specific Heat of Water

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Determination of Specific Heat of a Solid

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It's important to realize that the better insulated our calorimeter is, the more accurate our results will be in this experiment. The main source of error in this experiment is heat loss through conduction.

The theory behind this particular heat test is based on the concept of energy conservation. Heat is a type of energy that will be transferred between the sample and the water in this scenario. Because the main reason to undertake this experiment is to measure the change in temperature of the water, which is indirect to the change in heat of the solid, it should now be clear how useful this specific capacity of heat test is.

Specific Heat Capacity Video Explanation

Theory 

The substance is heated uniformly above room temperature to a fixed temperature in a hypsometer before being placed in cold water in a calorimeter.

Loss of heat quals to heat gained by the calorimeter and water.

Read More: Specific Heat Capacity of Water

Procedure

1. Place two A and B thermometers in a beaker filled with water and record their readings. Take one of them (let's call it A) and discover the correction to apply to the other (let's call it B).
2. Now, thermometer B must be placed in a copper tube of a hypsometer that contains the power of a particular solid. It is necessary to fill the hypsometer with enough water and set it on a burner.
3. With a stirrer, weigh the calorimeter and cover it with the physical balance's lid. 
4. Fill half of the calorimeter with water that is 5 to 8 degrees Celsius below room temperature. We'll have to weigh it again and keep track of it.
5. Heat the hypsometer for about 10 minutes, or until the solid temperature remains constant.
6. The temperature of the water in the calorimeter must then be recorded. Quickly transfer the solid from the hypsometer to the calorimeter, agitate the contents, and record the mixture's final temperature.
7. Finally, the thermometer should be removed. A from the calorimeter and weight the entire calorimeter, including the contents and lid.

Observations

Thermometer A Reading: A = TA = ……… ^oC

Thermometer B Reading: B = TB = ……… ^oC

Correction applied in B w.r.t. A (TA – TB) = …….. ^oC

Mass of calorimeter and stirrer m = …….. g

Water equivalent of calorimeter ω = m × 0.095 = …….. g

Specific heat (copper calorimeter) = 0.095 cal/g

Mass of calorimeter + stirrer + lid = m1 = ……. g

Mass of calorimeter + stirrer + lid + cold water = m2 = …… g

Steady temperature of hot solid = Ts = …….. ^oC

Corrected temperature of hot solid T =Ts – (TA – TB) = ……… ^oC

Temperature of cold water = t =……… ^oC

Temperature of mixture = θ =…….. ^oC

Mass of calorimeter, stirrer, lid, cold water, and solid = m3 =…… g

Read More: Specific Heat Capacity

Calculations

Cold water mass: = m2 – m1 =…….. g

Hot solid mass: = m3 – m2 =…….. g

Rise of temperature of cold water and calorimeter = θ – t =………. ^oC

Fall in temperature of solid = T – θ =……… ^oC

Heat gain by calorimeter, cold water and stirrer = [ω + ( m2 – m1)(θ – t)] =……. (a)

Heat lost by solid = (m3 – m2) × C × (T – θ) =……. (a)

C is specific heat of solid to be calculated.

As per calorimeter principle, heat lost = heat gained

Result

Specific heat of given solid by the method of the mixture is…………cal g^-1 °C^-1

Precautions 

• It's important to use enough solid power to properly cover the thermometer's tip.
• Sufficient water should be taken in hypsometer.
• It's best to drop solids quickly and gently.
• To avoid excessive radiation losses, the calorimeter should be polished from the outside.
• Coldwater should not be below the dew point.

The Sources of Error 

• When transferring a hot solid into a calorimeter, some heat is lost.
• Due to conduction, convection, and radiation, there is a possibility of losing heat.
• The thermometer's bulbs may not be fully placed into the solid.

Also check:

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Points To Remember

• Pace all glassware to their respective place after use.
• Wash every glassware before use to minimize the chance of error.
• Keep a stopwatch with you so that you can keep an eye on the time.
• Use the burner carefully in the lab don't play with it. 

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