Tugaoen, Sam Denielle S.

3 CheB

Date Performed: October 10 & 14, 2016

Date Submitted: October 24, 2016

Experiment No. 4
Heat of Combustion: The Bomb Calorimeter

INTRODUCTION
Derived from the Latin word "calor" meaning "heat" and "metron" meaning
"measure" [1], a calorimeter can be defined as an instrument that measures the amount
of heat released or absorbed by any chemical process measured using an insulated
container called a calorimeter. [2] However, many chemical reactions, such as
combustion reactions, do not take place in a solution. To more efficiently measure the
heat released by combustion reactions, chemists use a bomb calorimeter, which is a
sealed vessel that contains a smaller container called a "bomb". The bomb is a
container designed to withstand high pressure, and is equipped with valves for adding
gases and electrical contacts for initiating combustion reactions. [3]
The objective of this experiment is to determine the heat of combustion of a solid
organic substance using the Parr bomb calorimeter

METHODOLOGY
MATERIALS AND APPARATUS
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

Parr Bomb Calorimeter

Oxygen Tank with regulator and relief valve
Fuse Wire
Benzoic Acid
Napthalene
Glass Stirrer
Pellet Press
Thermometer

Figure 1. Set-up of the experiment

A. Determination of the Heat Capacity of the Bomb Calorimeter
For this experiment one gram of benzoic acid was weighed on paper and
pelletized using the pellet press and placed into the combustion capsule. About 7 to
10cm of fuse wire was cut and bounded tightly to the posts of the bomb, making sure
that it touches the pellet. The bomb is then slowly filled with oxygen from the oxygen
tank at a pressure of 25 atm. The electrical connections are arranged and set before
submerging the bomb in 2000 mL of distilled water. After the bomb has been submerged
in water, the cover and the thermometer are put in place and the stirrer is activated. The
initial temperature is then recorded for 5 minutes in 30 second intervals while stirring
occurs in order to reach the equilibrium temperature. As soon as the equilibrium
temperature is reached, the ignition button is pressed to fire the bomb and the
temperature is recorded in 10 second intervals until the temperature becomes constant.
The bomb is then removed from the bucket and the gas pressure is released by
opening the knurled knob before attempting to remove the capsule. The interior surface
of the bomb is washed and the remaining pieces of the unburned fuse wire from the
bomb post is straightened and measured.
B. Determination of the Heat of Combustion of a known sample
The sample used here was Naphthalene and the steps in the first procedure
were then repeated.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1 shows the temperature of the bomb calorimeter in a given time to reach
equilibrium. The temperature neither decreases nor increases at 28.1 oC thus this is the
temperature at which the system is in equilibrium.
Table 1. Time and Temperature of Benzoic Acid in the Bomb Before Ignition

Time (sec)
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300

Before the Ignition of the Bomb

30 s interval (5mins)
Temperature ( C)
28.2
28.2
28.2
28.2
28.1
28.1
28.1
28.1
28.1
28.1
28.1

From Table 2, the equilibrium temperature is observed to be 30.7 oC after 300 seconds
or 5 minutes.

Table 2. Time and Temperature of Benzoic Acid in the Bomb After Ignition

Time (sec)
300
310
320
330
340
350
360
370
380
390
400
410
420

After the Ignition of the Bomb

10 s interval
Temperature ( C)
Time (sec)
28.1
460
28.92
470
29.5
480
30
490
30.1
500
30.3
510
30.5
520
30.7
530
30.7
540
30.7
550
30.7
560
30.7
570
30.7
580

Temperature ( C)
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7

430
440
450

30.7
30.7
30.7

590
600

30.7
30.7

Temperature vs. Time

Figure 2. Graph of Temperature vs. Time Before and After Ignition

In the figure above, series 1 indicate the temperature before ignition while series
2 indicate the temperature after the ignition. The temperature at which the reading is
constant before the ignition is at 28.1 oC and the temperature at which the reading is
constant after the ignition is at 30.7 oC. The difference of the constant temperatures will
give the change in temperature of the system which is 2.6 oC

Table 3. Data for Benzoic Acid

Benzoic Acid
Weight of the Benzoic Acid:

0.9910 g

Initial Temperature:

28.2 C

Final Temperature:

30.7 C

Length of the fuse wire:

10 cm

Length of the fuse wire after the ignition:

2.9 cm

Combustion Reaction:

C6H5COOH(s) + 7.5O2(g) 7CO2(g) + 3H2O(l)

Hbenzoic acid [4]

-3226.6 kJ/mole

From the values in Table 3, the calorimeter constant is determined:

U = H ngas RT
8.314 J
301.35 K
mole K
)
1613.3 kJ 1000 J
mole
U benzoic acid=(

0.9910 g)
mole
1 kJ
122.1 g
0.5 mole

U benzoic acid=14346.7357 J
U =q v + U wire=C calorimeter T
C calorimeter=

q v + U wire
T

, @constant volume,U = qv

J
2.3 cal
mole K
mole
14346.7357 J +(2.9 cm

0.9910 g
2.6 K )
cm
1.983 cal
122.1 g
C calorimeter=
2.5 K
8.314

C calorimeter=14346.16827

J
K

Table 4. Time and Temperature of Naphthalene in the Bomb Before Ignition

Time (sec)
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300

Before the Ignition of the Bomb

30 s interval (5mins)
Temperature ( C)
27.3
27.3
27.3
27.3
27.3
27.3
27.2
27.2
27.2
27.2
27.2

Table 4 shows the temperature of the bomb calorimeter in a given time to reach
equilibrium. The temperature neither decreases nor increases at 27.2 oC thus this is the
temperature at which the system is in equilibrium.

Table 5. Time and Temperature of Naphthalene in the Bomb After Ignition

After the Ignition of the Bomb
10 s interval

Time (sec)
300
310
320
330
340
350
360
370
380
390
400
410
420
430
440
450

Temperature ( C)
28.1
28.92
29.5
30
30.1
30.3
30.5
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7

Time (sec)
460
470
480
490
500
510
520
530
540
550
560
570
580
590
600

Temperature ( C)
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7
30.7

From Table 5, the equilibrium temperature is observed to be 30.7 oC after 300

seconds or 5 minutes.

Temperature vs. Time

Figure 1. Graph of Temperature vs. Time Before and After Ignition

In the figure above, series 1 indicate the temperature before ignition while series
2 indicate the temperature after the ignition. The temperature at which the reading is
constant before the ignition is at 27.2 oC and the temperature at which the reading is
constant after the ignition is at 30.7 oC. The difference of the constant temperatures will
give the change in temperature of the system which is 3.5 oC

Table 6. Data for Naphthalene

Naphthalene
Weight of the Naphthalene:
Initial Temperature:
Final Temperature:
Length of the fuse wire:
Length of the fuse wire after the ignition:
Combustion Reaction:

1.0525 g
27.2 C
31.3 C
8 cm
2.4 cm
C10H8(s) + 12O2(g) 10CO2(g) + 4H2O(l)

From the calorimeter constant from the reaction of benzoic acid and the data
from Table 6, the internal energy and heat of combustion of Naphthalene.
C calorimeter=

q v + U wire
T

14346.16827

J
=
K

qv +(2.4 cm

2.3 cal

cm

J
mole K
mole
1.0525 g
4.1 K )
1.983 cal
128 g
4.1 K

8.314

q v =58820.07014 J = U Naphthalene
H naphthalene =U + n gas RT
H naphthalene =58820.07014 J +(2 moles

8.314 J
300.45 K )
mole K

 H naphthalene =63815.95274 J
1 kJ
128 g

1000 J mole
1.0525 g

11387.5887 J
H naphthalene =

H naphthalene =7760.989977

kJ
mole

(experimental)

Theoretical H naphthalene =5157

kJ
mole

|theoreticalexperimental
| 100
theoretical

%Difference=

%Difference=

5157(7760.989977)
100
5157

%Difference=50.49
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
1) Why was it necessary to attain a constant temperature reading before starting a
measure run in step 6 of procedure A? If the constant temperature reading
condition was not reached before starting the measured run, what will be the
effect of the calculated heat capacity of the bomb calorimeter and the heat of
combustion of the sample? Can these errors be corrected in the final
calculations? How? Explain your answer.
2) Why is the oxygen tank in this experiment equipped with a regulator and a relief
valve? What are these instruments for? Is it possible to fill the bomb with oxygen
without them? What will be the effect of their absence in the oxygen-filling step?
3) Would you say that the bomb calorimeter is a constant-pressure system or a
constant-volume system? Why? Explain your answer. What are the differences
between constant pressure and constant volume processes?

CONCLUSION
From the data gathered, the heat of combustion of Naphthalene is measured to be

7760.989977

kj/mole. However, the theoretical heat of combustion of Naphthalene is

5157 kj/mole yielding to a percent difference of 50.49%. This shows that there are errors in

the performed experiment, one factor may be that the stirrer is not functioning and thus the
system must be stirred manually. Other errors may be due to random errors or human errors.
It is recommended to accurately check the temperature and make sure that the fuse wire
touches the sample and not the

APPENDIX
Computation for the change in temperature of the organic substances:
For Benzoic Acid:
T =30.728.1=2.6
For Naphthalene
T =30.727.2=3.5

REFERENCES
[1]. How does a bomb calorimeter work? - CAL3K. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23,
2016,
from
https://www.cal3k.com/index.php/blog/291-how-does-a-bombcalorimeter-work
[2]. Kaddoura, S. (2008, January). Bomb Calorimeter [PDF].
[3]. Section 7: Calorimetry. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
https://www.learner.org/courses/chemistry/text/text.html?
dis=U&num=Ym5WdElUQS9PQ289&sec=YzJWaklUQS9OeW89
[4]. Atkins, P. W., & De, P. J. (2014). Atkins' Physical chemistry. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.