ABSTRACT

The specific heat is the amount of heat per unit mass required to raise the temperature
by one degree Celcius. This experiment was conducted to determine the specific heat
of metal which is copper in this experiment and to determine the quantity and
direction of heat flow for the dissolution of a salt which is natrium thiosulphate,
Na2S2O3 salt.
In the first part of the experiment which is to determine the specific heat of the
copper, 10g of copper is heated in a water bath and its temperature is maintained for at
least 5 minutes so that the metal reaches thermal equilibrium with the water. The final
temperature is recorded. The system which is consist of calorimeter and 20.0 ml of
water is weighed and is allowed to left it for 5 minutes to allow the system to reach
thermal equilibrium. The temperature is recorded at 60 seconds interval for 6 minutes.
The copper is transferred into the calorimeter quickly and the temperature is recorded
at 30 seconds interval for 3 minutes. In the second part which is to determine the
enthalpy (heat) of solution for the dissolution of the natrium thiosulphate. The
temperature of system which consists of 20.0ml of distilled water with calorimeter is
recorded for 60 seconds with 15 seconds interval. Then, the 5.0g of the natrium
thiosulphate salt is poured into the calorimeter and its temperature is recorded at 15
seconds intervals for 3 minutes.
Based on the results of the experiment, the specific heat of copper is 0.6615 Jg-1 C -1
and the heat of dissolution of natrium thiosulphate salt, Na2S2O3 is 655.6715 J. The
direction of heat flow is towards the salt and away from the water.

In conclusion, the theoretical value of specific heat capacity of water that we used in
calculations is 4.18 Jg-1C -1 while the theoretical value of specific heat capacity of
copper is 0.3845 Jg-1C -1. Based on this experiment, we are able to determine the
specific heat capacity of metal and the direction flow of dissolution of salt which is
from water to salt.

METHODOLOGY
Material : Calorimeter , thermometer , 400ml beaker , test tube , hot plate , graduated
cylinder , three finger clamp , copper , sodium thiosulphate
A) Specific Heat of a Metal
10 g of copper is
weighed and
transferred it into a
dry test tube.

The test tube is

placed in beaker
400 ml beaker.

The test tube is Only the copper is

removed from boiling
quickly transferred
water.
into the calorimeter.

The temperature for

6 minutes with 60
second interval is
recorded.

Filled the beaker with

water until it well
above the level of
sample copperl in the
test tube

The system is left for The water

5 minutes to reachtemperature is
thermal equilibrium.recorded for 3
minutes with 30
second intervals as

Boiled the water with

heater and this
temperature is
maintained for at least
5 minutes so that the
metal reached thermal
equilibrium with the

The temperature is
recorded

The mass of
calorimeter is
weighed.

The lid is replaced

and the content is
stirred gently.

The thermometer is
secured with The
a
temperature (yclamp and it is
axis) versus time (xpositioned below the
axis) graph is
water surface.
plotted.

The combined mass

of the calorimeter
and water is
determined.

20.0ml of water is
added into
calorimeter by
using a graduated
cylinder

Determined T
from the curve

The calculations
indicated3is done
on the report sheet.

B) Enthalpy (Heat) of Solution for the Dissolution of a Salt

The mass of the dry

calorimeter is
weighed

The temperature
Versus time curve is
constructed T ,
changes in
temperature is
determined.

Added 20.0 ml of distilled

water into the
calorimeter by using a
graduated cylinder and
its temperature is

The temperature
and time at 15 sec
interval for 3
minutes are taken
and recorded.

The temperature
The lid is for
replaced
60 seconds
with
15
and stir gently until
secondthe
interval
is
salt dissolves
.
recorded

The mass of
calorimeter and water
is weighed

The 5.0g salt is

added into the
calorimeter

5.0g of the Sodium

The thermometer
is
pointed thiosulphate
below the
,Na
2S2O3 salt is
water
surface
weighed.

RESULTS
PART A Specific Heat of a Metal

The mass of Copper

10.0010 g

The initial temperature

(Copper)

97.0 C

The temperature when water and copper reaches thermal

equilibrium
(Final temperature of Copper)

96.0 C

The mass of calorimeter

10.6032 g

The mass of calorimeter + water

30.5441 g

The mass of water

19.9409 g

Table 1: Temperature of calorimeter (with water) for 5 minutes with 60 seconds

intervals.
Time (min)

Temperature (C)

30.0

28.0

28.0

28.0

28.0

28.0

Table 2: Temperature of calorimeter (with water + copper) for 3 minutes with 30

seconds intervals.
Time (s)

30

60

90

120

150

180

Temperature (C)

34.0

33.0

33.0

33.0

33.0

33.0

33.0

Temperature vs Time

Twater = Tfinal(water) Tinitial(water)

= (33.0 28.0) C
= 5.0 C
Tcopper = Tfinal(copper) Tinitial(copper)
= (33.0 96.0) C
= -63.0 C
- Heat lost by copper = Heat gained by water
- mcTcopper = mcTwater
- (10.0000 g) x ccopper x (-63.0 C) = (19.9409 g) x (4.18 Jg-1C -1) x (5.0 C)
Ccopper = 0.6615 Jg-1C -1

The specific heat for copper is 0.6615 Jg-1 C -1

PART B - Enthalpy (Heat) of Solution for the dissolution of a Salt.

The mass of sodium thiosulphate

5.0114 g

The mass of dry calorimeter

10.8580 g

The mass of calorimeter + water

30.4654 g

The mass of water

19.6074 g

Table 3: Temperature of calorimeter (with water) for 60 seconds with 15 seconds

intervals.

Time (s)

15

30

45

60

Temperature (C)

30

29

29

29

29

Table 4: Temperature of calorimeter (with water + sodium thiosulphate salt) for 3

minutes with 15 seconds intervals.

Time (s)

15

30

45

60

75

90

105

120

135

150

165

180

Temperature
(C)
23.
0

23.
0

23.
0

23.
0

22.
0

22.
0

21.
0

21.
0

21.
0

21.
0

21.
0

21.
0

21.0

Temperature vs Time

Twater = Tfinal(water) Tinitial(water)

= (21.0 29.0) C
= - 8.0 C

Heat lost by water = Heat absorbed for the dissolution of sodium thiosulphate
(Na2S2O3)
Heat lost by water, Qwater = mcTwater
= (19.6074 g) x (4.18 J g-1 C-1 ) x (- 8.0 C)
= - 655.6715 J

Heat absorbed for the dissolution of Na2S2O3 = 655.6715 J.

The direction of heat flow is towards the salt and away from the water.

DISCUSSIONS
1. What is the difference between specific heat and heat capacity? What are the units for
these two quantities? Which is the intensive properties and which is the extensive
properties?
-Specific heat, c ,is the heat required to raise the temperature of one gram (1g) of
substance by one degree celcius (1oC).The unit is J g-1 oC-1 and it is an intensive
property.
-Heat capacity, C , is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a given
quantity of a substance by one degree celcius (1oC).The unit is J oC-1 and it is an
extensive property.
2. A 20.94 g of an unknown metal is heated to 99.4 oC in a hot water bath until thermal
equilibrium is reached. The metal is quickly transferred to 100 ml of water at 22.0 oC
contained in a Styrofoam cup. The thermal equilibrium temperature of the metal plus
water mixture is 24.6 oC.What is the specific heat of the metal?
Assuming no heat released to the surrounding
Q=0J

Mass of water = Volume of water

= 100 g
Q
= mmetalcdT + mwatercdT
=(20.94)c(24.6-99.4) + (100)(4.18)(24.6-22.0)
0
= -1566.312c + 1086.8
9

1566.312c

= 1086.8

c = 0.694 J g-1
3. Magnesium metal react with hydrochloric acid according to the following equation,
Mg(s) + 2HCl(aq)

MgCl2(aq) + H2(g)

When 0.425 g of magnesium was added to 150.0 ml of 1.00 M HCl in a coffee-cup

calorimeter the temperature of the solution increase from 24.5 0C to 35.3 0C. Given
that the heat capacity of the calorimeter is 125 J/ 0C and that the density of the HCl
solution is 1.00 g/ml, calculate the heat release per mole of magnesium.
No heat released to surrounding,
Q=0
Mass of Mg = 0.425g
Mass of HCl = 1.00g/ml x 150.0ml
= 150g
Specific heat of HCl = 125 J/0C
150g
= 0.833J/g oC
QHCl

= mHClcdT
=150(0.833)(35.3-24.5)
=1350 J

QHCl

= -QMg

= -1350 J
nMg

0.425
24

=0.0177 mol

10

Qreaction

= -1350/0.0177
= -76235.3 J mol-1
= -76.235 kJ mol-1

Heat released by magnesium is 76.235 kJ mol-1

CONCLUSION
This experiment was conducted to determine the the specific heat of a metal (copper) and
to determine quantity and direction of heat flow for the dissolution of a salt which is
natrium thiosulphate (Na2S2O3) salt.

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-1
-1
The specific heat of the copper obtained from this experiment is 0.6615 Jg C and the

quantity of the dissolution of Na2S2O3 is 655.6715 J. The direction of heat flow is towards
the salt and away from the water.
The different value of specific heat of the copper that we obtained throughout the
experiment may be cause of some errors during the experiment was conducted. This is
due to the amount of heat loss during the copper was transferred into the calorimeter
because this step required more safety while conducting a hot boiling tube and take much
time. The amount of copper that was weigh must be carefully recorded in order to reduce
more difference in the value of specific heat of copper.
In order to reduce the error during the experiment, the rate of stirring need to be constant.
To get a better value of temperature that need to be record, the eyes must be perpendicular
to the scale of the thermometer to avoid the parallax error. Other than that, heat may loss
to the surrounding while stirring the copper and water inside the calorimeter and the
calorimeter was not completely cover with the lid. We must always make sure that the
calorimeter was completely cover by the lid to prevent or reduce the heat loss from the
calorimeter to the surrounding because this will affect the experimental value. Lastly, it is
a must for every student to make sure that all the apparatus need to be wash and rinse
using distilled water before starting any experiment to make sure that there is no leftover
inside it and do not forget to always wear gloves and goggles while doing the experiment
to avoid any harmful contact to skin and eyes.

REFERENCES
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https://www.reference.com/home-garden/determines-direction-heat-flow-

f326c09abef931a0
http://www2.ucdsb.on.ca/tiss/stretton/database/Specific_Heat_Capacity_Table.htm
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/spht.html

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