I. Introduction
This experiment uses calorimetry to measure the specific heat of a metal. Calorimetry is used to observe and measure heat flow between two substances. The heat flow is measured as it travels from a higher temperature to a lower one. Specific heat is an amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of anything one degree Celsius. Specific heat is calculated using several equations using the base equation: q=mc∆T
II. Materials
1 calibrated thermometer, 1 scale that reads mass, 2 Styrofoam cups, 1 small lead sinker, boiling water in a beaker, 1 pair of kitchen tongs, 1 small cooking pot, stove top, distilled water, and 1 pair of safety goggles (I did not use a cork stopper).
III. Procedure
First, the beaker
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This measurement is accurate to Dr. Wile’s description of the outcome. He said, “Metals have small specific heats, so it [the answer] should be less than 1 J/g˚C.” Calorimetry is the science of determining the changes in energy of a system by measuring the heat exchanged with the surroundings. Calorimetry experiments are performed in order to determine the heat flow between two substances and a calorimeter is used. A calorimeter is a device that is used to measure the amount of heat transferred to or from an object. The science of calorimetry is that the energy gained or lost by the water is equal to the energy lost or gained by the object. In calorimetry to find the amount of heat that was absorbed or released (q) by multiplying its mass (m), its specific heat capacity (c) and its change in thermal energy (∆T or Tf - Ti). The formula q=mc∆T is what was used in this experiment to determine the specific heat capacity of a small lead sinker. All substances are made up of particles that carry energy. The particles move faster when they contain thermal energy that is in the form of heat. The change in thermal energy of a substance means a change in its temperature. Hot substances have high thermal energy while cold substances have low thermal energy. You can actually see this in water. Let’s say you are making spaghetti. You fill the pot with cool water and set it on the stove, the water is not really