Specific Heat Capacity

PHY 100 & 103

After a preliminary exercise in finding thermal equilibrium, students determine the specific heat capacity, c of an unknown metal. To do this, the metal sample is heated to a high measured temperature and then placed into much cooler water of known temperature, after which the equilibrium temperature is recorded. By isolating the water and metal inside a covered, double-nested, styrofoam joulimetry cup, the amount of heat the water gains from the metal object can be considered equal to the amount of heat lost by the object, and the simple resulting equation solved for c of the unknown. The experiment is then repeated using twice as much water to see the effect on the result.

Equipment

Notes

Use one hooked metal cube per table, but do not use lead (has low melting point). Put out four styrofoam cups per table and double them up. Be certain cups have no holes. Lifting tools are large paper clips appropriately un-bent and should be saved for reuse, hence the bag of them in the drawer with the metal blocks.

Do NOT use the stainless steel cans for this lab. Aluminum outer calorimetry cans only. Make sure that the room has plenty of paper towels.