SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY OF A METAL
(Calc EZ Data)
Introduction:
The heat capacity of a substance is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of
the substance by 1oC. The specific heat capacity (C) of a substance is the amount of heat
required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of the substance by 1oC. Calorimetry is commonly
utilized to determine the energy transferred between two substances. Because water has a
relatively high specific heat capacity (1 cal/g.oC or 4.184 J/g.oC), it is usually the substance used
in a calorimeter to absorb energy.
Purpose:
To determine the specific heat capacity of a metal by measuring the heat
transferred from the heated metal object to the water in the calorimeter.
Equipment/Materials:
Van Provides:
Hot plate
TI83+ (or later) Calculator
With EZ Data Application
Lab Pro Data Interface
Temperature Probe
Metal samples
Balance
Teacher Provides:
Styrofoam cup
250 mL beaker
ice water
Procedure:
1. Fill a 250 mL beaker about 2/3 full with water (tap water is fine) and place on the hot plate.
Turn hot plate to about “8”.
2. Obtain a metal sample for analysis. Measure the mass of the metal on the toploader balance
and record in your Data Table.
3. Place the metal sample in a test tube and place the test tube in the boiling water bath. Allow
the metal to stay in the boiling water bath for at least 7-10 minutes.
4. Determine the mass of a Styrofoam cup and record in the Data Table.
5. Pour enough cold water into the Styrofoam cup to cover the metal sample. Use water that
has been previously cooled by your teacher, but be careful not to get pieces of ice in the
water.
6. Determine the mass of the Styrofoam cup and cold water together, and record in the Data
Table.
7. Set up Easy Data and the temperature probe for data collection.
a. Turn on the calculator.
b. Connect the temperature probe to Channel 1 of the Lab Pro and link the Lab Pro to the
calculator.
c. Start the Easy Data application, if it is not already running.
d. Select FILE from the main screen, and select NEW to reset the application.
e. Select SETUP from the main screen, and select TIME GRAPH.
f. Select EDIT. Enter “10” as the time between samples and select NEXT. Enter “30” as
the number of samples and select NEXT. Select OK.
8. Check to be sure that your metal sample has been in a boiling water bath for at least 2-5
minutes. Use the temperature probe to take a live reading of the temperature of the boiling
water. Note: Since all temperature probes are calibrated differently, one should not assume
that the temperature of the water is 100 °C. Record the temperature of the boiling water in
the data table.
9. Place the temperature probe into the cold water and allow the temperature to stabilize.
10. Tap START and wait for 30 seconds to elapse. Lift the metal sample out of the boiling
water, hold it just above the boiling water in the steam for a few seconds (long enough for
water to stop dripping from the metal), and transfer it quickly to the cold water in the
styrofoam cup (your calorimeter). This should be done quickly so that heat loss to the
external environment will be small. Do not allow the heated metal to touch the temperature
probe. Turn off the hot plate.
11. You will see the temperature being graphed on your calculator screen.
12. If you have access to a printer that is connected to a computer with the TI Graphlink program
loaded, connect the calculator to the computer using the TI Graphlink Cable. Print your
graph and data table. If not, use the graph displayed to determine the change in temperature
for your water sample. See the data table for an explanation of how to do this.
13. Calculate the specific heat capacity of your metal sample. Use the formula given in the
Calculations section of this lab procedure.
14. Dispose of the boiling water and the water in your calorimeter. Return the metal sample to
your instructor. Turn off the calculator and Lab Pro and replace in box as instructed. Check
to be sure that the hot plate has been turned off.
SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY OF A METAL
Data Table
Name(s): ________________________________
Date: _________________________
__________________________________
Period/Lab Group: ______________
Data Table:
Mass of Metal Sample
g
Mass of Styrofoam Cup
g
Mass of Styrofoam Cup +
Ice Water
g
Mass of Ice Water
g
Initial Temperature (ti metal)
of Metal (assume same as
boiling water)
Initial Temperature (ti water)
of Water (lowest
temperature on graph)
Final Temperature of the
System (tf) (midpoint of the
first plateau on graph)
o
C
o
C
o
C
Calculations:
Assume that the amount of heat absorbed by the water is the same as the amount of heat
transferred by the metal.
q water = q metal
1. Calculate the heat energy absorbed by the water in the calorimeter. Use the formula given
below.
q water = m water x C water x (tf – ti water)
2. Calculate the specific heat capacity of your metal sample. Use the formula given below:
q metal = m metal x C metal x (ti metal – tf)
(Remember to assume that q water = q metal.)
3. Identify your metal sample based on is specific heat capacity and calculate the percent error
for your results using the results given below.
Metal
Aluminum (Al)
Cadmium (Cd)
Copper (Cu)
Lead (Pb)
Zinc (Zn)
Specific Heat Capacity
(J/g.oC)
0.9025
0.2311
0.3845
0.1276
0.3884