Experiment 6: Specific Heat of Metals

Demi Louise Go, Vheverli Whendel Go, Marc Lennard Ip, Daphne Sophia Javellana, Heather
Allison Lao, Ryan Christopher Laranang

Department of Math and Physics

College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
España, Manila Philippines

Abstract device particularly measures calories, which

The experiment focuses on the
determination of the specific heat of a metal
sample, specifically an aluminum metal cube.
Its specific heat was obtained through the use
of a calorimeter, which has a specific heat of
0.215, and a thermometer. ​The specific heat
capacity of the metal sample was calculated
based on the heat of the calorimeter and
water. The heat gained by the water was
614.40 and the heat gained by the
calorimeter was 45.23. In addition, the heat
given up by the metal was -659.63.
1. Introduction
Heat capacity, which is an extensive
property, is the ability of a substance to
absorb heat energy. Specific heat then is
defined as the measure of the heat capacity of
a substance, the amount of necessary heat to
increase the temperature of a gram of the said
substance by one degree Celsius. It is
expressed in cal/gC°. The amount of
temperature increase is dependent upon the
amount of added heat, the size of the
substance and its material. The calorimeter is
used to measure the change in temperature or
heat transfer of a known mass of water. The
are the amount of energy that are required to
raise a gram of water by one degree Celsius.
Calorimeters rely on the energy conservation
in a closed system and are insulated in order
to avoid heat transfer in and out of the
system.
The experiment was governed by the
Law of Conservation of Energy as until an
equilibrium is reached, there is a transfer of
heat from a high temperature region to a low
temperature region. In order to determine the
specific heat capacity of the aluminum cube
metal sample, the heat of the water and
calorimeter were needed. The percentage
error was then calculated from the
determined specific heat of the metal sample
and the true value of the metal sample.
2. Theory
This experiment is generally about
observing factors such as heat and the
changes in temperature, with the help of a
calorimeter, to calculate the specific heat of
the aluminum sample. Equal masses of
different substances absorb different
quantities of heat when subjected to the same
rise in temperature. For example, water takes
in more heat than almost any other substance
despite the similar change in temperature.
Other than that, water gives more heat than
most substances when cooling. With this,
water was used as the basis for this
experiment.
The specific heat is the amount of
heat per unit mass required to raise the
temperature by a certain degrees Celsius.
This is then divided by the amount of heat
required to raise the temperature of an equal
mass if the water by the same amount of
degrees Celsius.
With that, the equation below can be
used to obtain the specific heat of the metal:
−M wCw(T f −T wi)−M cCc(T f −T ci)
Cm = M m(T f −T mi)
Where:
C​​m​​ ​= specific heat of the metal,
m​​w​​ ​= mass of the water,
C​​w​​ ​= specific heat of water,
m​​c​​ ​= mass of the calorimeter,

The relationship between heat and C​​c​​ ​= specific heat of the calorimeter,
temperature change is usually expressed in
the form shown in the equation below where m​​m​​ ​= mass of the metal, and
C is the specific heat. The relationship is said
to not be applied when a phase change (T​​f​-T​ ​i​)​ or △T ​represents the change in
​
occurs. This is because the heat added or temperature.
removed during a phase change does not
change the temperature. On the side note, for ideal conditions
where there is no heat that is lost to the
Q = mC△
△T environment, the heat is consequently and
completely absorbed by the colder substance.
Where:
Q ​= amount of heat added 3. Methodology
Q will be positive when heat is
absorbed while it will be negative when heat Materials:
is lost.
1. Metal cube
m ​= mass of the substance (whether it is the
water or the metal sample),

C ​= specific heat capacity, and

△T ​= change in temperature experienced by

the substance
 5. Hot plate
2. Calorimeter

First, the metal sample was weighed.

A piece of string was used to suspend the
3. Thermometer metal sample in the steam boiler half-filled
with water. The inner cup of the calorimeter
was weighed, and then filled with cold water.
The temperature of the boiling water was
recorded. The metal sample was exposed
long enough to steam to make sure that it
reaches a temperature of 100℃. When the
solid reached close to 100℃, it was quickly
moved into the calorimeter. The calorimeter
was immediately covered and was shook
gradually to diffuse heat evenly. The
thermometer was observed closely, and the
highest temperature reading was recorded.
The heat gained by the calorimeter was
4. Digital balance determined. The heat gained by the water
was computed. Assuming that no heat
escapes from the calorimeter, the heat gained
by water added to the heat gained by the
calorimeter is equal to the heat given up by
the solid. From this relation, the specific heat
of the solid was computed and compared
with the accepted value, from which the
percentage of error was computed.
 Figure 4. Temperature of heating metal
Figure 1. Metal cube on digital balance cube

Figure 2. Inner cup of calorimeter on

digital balance

Figure 5. Calorimetry setup

4.​​ ​Results and Discussion

In order to determine the specific heat

of a metal sample, an aluminum cube was
utilized for the experiment. The table below
displays the various results gathered and
derived from different computations.
Figure 3. Heating of metal cube
Table 1. Data obtained from the experiment
Mass of metal 44.03g

Mass of calorimeter 32.87g

Mass of calorimeter 128.87g

 and water Heat gained by water:
96g x 1 cal x (31.4 - 25) = 614.4
Specific heat of 0.215 cal/gC​o
calorimeter Heat gained by the calorimeter:
Initial temperature 99.5​o​C 32.87 x 0.215 x 6.4 = 45.23
of the metal
Specific heat of metal:
Initial temperature 25.0​o​C −96(1 cal)(6.4)−32.87(0.215)(6.4)
= -0.220
44.03(68.1)
of water and
calorimeter
Heat gained by metal:
o​
Final temperature of 31.4​ C 44.03 x -0.220 x 68.1 = -659.63
the system

Temperature of the 31.4​o​C Percentage error:

|A−E |
metal A
x 100
|0.215 − 0.220|
x 100 = 2.32%
Temperature 6.4C​o 0.215
change of
calorimeter and The mass of the aluminum metal,
water calorimeter, and calorimeter with water were
weighed by an analytical balance. It was
Heat gained by the 614.4
water revealed that the aluminum weighed about
44.03g, while 32.87g for the mass of
Heat gained by the 45.23 calorimeter. Furthermore, after placing cold
calorimeter water in the calorimeter, the mass of the
Heat given up by -659.63 calorimeter became 128.87g. Water was
the metal placed inside the calorimeter and weighed
together with the calorimeter in order to get
Specific heat of the -0.220 the mass of water. The mass of the
metal
calorimeter was subtracted from the mass of
(experimental)
calorimeter and water, showing that the water
Specific heat of the 0.215 weighed 96g.
metal (standard)

Percentage error 2.32% Based from the results seen on Table

1., the initial temperature of the metal is
99.5C​o​. This was obtained by getting the
Computations:
boiling point of the water with the use of a
thermometer since the metal was submerged
Mass of water:
into the boiling water. The boiling point was
128.87 - 32.87 = 96g
determined when the reading on the
thermometer was constant. The initial -0.220 was computed for the experimental.
temperature of water and calorimeter on the The experimental value was obtained by
hand, was also obtained by measuring the using the formula
water’s temperature. Moreover, the final −M wCw(T f −T wi)−M cCi(T f −T ci)
M m(T f i−T mi) . ​The two only
temperature of the system was measured to
differed by 0.005, which makes the
be 31.4C​o​. This was acquired by immediately
difference significantly small.
immersing the hot metal into the calorimeter
with cold water enclosed in an insulating
5. Conclusion
container. The final temperature reading also
corresponded to the metal’s temperature.
The specific heat is the amount of
heat per unit mass required to raise the
Celsius degrees is used for changes in
temperature by one degree Celsius. The
temperature instead of degrees celsius.
relationship between heat and temperature
According to the results attained, the
change is usually expressed in the form
temperature change of calorimeter and water
shown below where c is the specific heat.
was 6.4C​o​. This was obtained by subtracting
The relationship does not apply if a phase
the initial temperature of the metal/water and
change is encountered, because the heat
calorimeter from the final temperature of the
added or removed during a phase change
metal/system.
does not change the temperature.

The heat gained by the water and

With the data obtained from the
calorimeter, and heat given up by the metal
experiment, It was revealed that the
was derived by utilizing the formula
aluminum weighed about 44.03g, while
Q = mC△T . Heat gained by the water was
32.87g for the mass of calorimeter.
computed to be 614.4 while 45.23 for the
Furthermore, after placing cold water in the
calorimeter. Heat given up by the metal was
calorimeter, the mass of the calorimeter
calculated to be -659.63. The negative value
became 128.87g. Water was placed inside the
corresponds to the object losing heat; thus,
calorimeter and weighed together with the
becoming cooler.
calorimeter in order to get the mass of water.
The mass of the calorimeter was subtracted
As seen in the data above, the
from the mass of calorimeter and water,
percentage error was determined to be
showing that the water weighed 96g. ​The
2.32%. This exhibits that the specific heat
specific heat capacity of the metal sample
obtained from the experiment was quite
was calculated based on the heat of the
accurate as compared to the standard specific
calorimeter and water. The heat gained by
heat of the metal since there was only a
the water was 614.40 and the heat gained by
miniscule difference between the actual and
the calorimeter was 45.23. In addition, the
computed value. The standard specific heat
heat given up by the metal was -659.63. ​The
of the metal was said to be 0.215 while
standard specific heat of the metal was said
to be 0.215 while -0.220 was computed for
the experimental. The percentage error was
determined to be 2.32%. It shows that the
specific heat was quite accurate as compared
to the standard specific heat
6. Applications
1) Define the following:
a. Heat
Heat refers to the energy that flows as
a result in the difference of temperature.
b. Heat capacity
Heat capacity refers to the amount of
heat required to raise the temperature of a
given quantity of the substance by 1°C
2) Why is it desirable to have the
water a few degrees colder than the
room temperature when the initial
temperature is taken?
Based on the Second Law of
Thermodynamics, heat flows from hotter to
colder objects. Ideally, water needs to be a
few degrees colder than the room
temperature inorder that heat will flow to the
system because it is colder than the
surroundings, making the system more
efficient in absorbing heat.
3) Why is the mass of the outer shell
of the calorimeter and the
insulating ring not included in the
data for this experiment?
The mass of the outer shell of the
calorimeter and the insulating ring were not
included in the data for this experiment since
they are not part of the isolated
system,making their masses irrelevant in the
computation of specific heat.
4) What does this experiment show
about the specific heat of water?
From the data observed in this
experiment, it was proven that water absorbs
more amount of heat than the calorimeter
since it has a higher specific heat.
5) How does the heat conductivity of
the metal used in this experiment
affect the accuracy of the results?
The heat conductivity of the metal
may increase or decrease the accuracy of the
results obtained. The rate of heat conduction
can be affected by the properties of the metal,
such as its nature, surface area, thickness and
specific heat.
6) Why should the hot metal be dry
before it is introduced into the cold
water?
The hot metal should be dry before it
is introduced into the cold water in order to
maximize the direct contact between the
surface of the metal and the molecules of
water, thereby improving the heat exchange.
7) 837 calories of heat are required to
heat 100 grams of copper from
10°C to 100°C. What is the specific
heat of copper?
Q​copper​ = (m​copper​)(c​copper​)(Δt)
837 cal = (100 g)(c​copper​)(100°C-10°C)
837 cal = (100 g)(90°C)(c​copper​)
837 cal = (9000 gC°)(c​copper​)
c​copper​ = 0.093 cal/gC°
7. References
[1] CK-12 Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 15, 2018, from
https://www.ck12.org/book/CBSE_P
hysics_Book_Class_XI/section/10.5/
[2] Comparing Specific Heats of Metals.
(n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2018,
from
https://chemdemos.uoregon.edu/demo
s/Comparing-Specific-Heats-of-Metal
s