Specific Heat Capacity
Marybeth Brooks
Physics Lab III
Specific Heat Capacity Lab
May 25, 2011
Abstract The specific heat capacity of various metals can be calculated and compared to accepted literature values. Dropping heated metal samples into a calorimeter filled with water and then measuring the change in the temperature of the system accomplished this. The metal samples were heated in a boiling water bath and were assumed to be at 100 C when they were removed. It was added to a calorimeter and stirrer with a measured mass of room temperature tap water. The temperature was taken through the lid of calorimeter to mitigate heat loss. These temperatures were recorded and used to calculate the specific heat capacity of the metal samples. The specific heat capacity of the aluminum was found to be 1.44 J/(g*C) and the relative error was found to be 0.54. The specific heat capacity of the copper sample was found to be 0.499 J/(g*C) and the relative error was found to be 0.112. The specific heat capacity of the iron was found to be 0.596 J/(g*C) and the relative error was found to be 0.148. The values found for the copper and the iron were slightly higher than the accepted literature value but still rather close. The value found for the aluminum was much higher than the accepted.
Sample Calculations -see attached sheet.
Data Analysis
Table of Data collected to measure specific heat capacity.
| |Aluminum |Copper |Iron |
|Metal mass, g |21.84 |72.04 |63.21 |
|Initial Metal Temp, C |100 |100 |100 |
|Initial Temp of System, C |21.5 |21.1 |20.5 |
|Final Temp of System, C
Physics Lab III
Specific Heat Capacity Lab
May 25, 2011
Abstract The specific heat capacity of various metals can be calculated and compared to accepted literature values. Dropping heated metal samples into a calorimeter filled with water and then measuring the change in the temperature of the system accomplished this. The metal samples were heated in a boiling water bath and were assumed to be at 100 C when they were removed. It was added to a calorimeter and stirrer with a measured mass of room temperature tap water. The temperature was taken through the lid of calorimeter to mitigate heat loss. These temperatures were recorded and used to calculate the specific heat capacity of the metal samples. The specific heat capacity of the aluminum was found to be 1.44 J/(g*C) and the relative error was found to be 0.54. The specific heat capacity of the copper sample was found to be 0.499 J/(g*C) and the relative error was found to be 0.112. The specific heat capacity of the iron was found to be 0.596 J/(g*C) and the relative error was found to be 0.148. The values found for the copper and the iron were slightly higher than the accepted literature value but still rather close. The value found for the aluminum was much higher than the accepted.
Sample Calculations -see attached sheet.
Data Analysis
Table of Data collected to measure specific heat capacity.
| |Aluminum |Copper |Iron |
|Metal mass, g |21.84 |72.04 |63.21 |
|Initial Metal Temp, C |100 |100 |100 |
|Initial Temp of System, C |21.5 |21.1 |20.5 |
|Final Temp of System, C