Mapua University

School of Chemical, Biological, and

Materials Engineering and Sciences

Physical Chemistry 2 Laboratory

Second Quarter AY 2020-2021

Experiment 1: Heat of Combustion

Butac, Jazzlei Nyah J., Canlas, Jimwell Ed A., Carballo, Gabriel V., Castillo, Ahyessa B., Comia, Josiah
Jarenee V., Dañez, Luis Alfonso G.*a
Fowler, Peter Matthew T.*b
CH117L-B22

Abstract
This experiment aims to determine the heat of combustion of organic compounds. These three
compounds are benzoic acid, naphthalene, and sucrose. They are tested in a bomb calorimeter in order to
determine the enthalpy change that is produced in the reaction. Two of the compounds are aromatic,
which are benzoic acid and naphthalene, while the sucrose is non-aromatic. In analyzing the two aromatic
compounds, the table shows that naphthalene has a higher change in temperature as compared to benzoic
acid. The heat of combustion is a negative number, the more negative it is the more heat is released. Less
stable compounds have higher Hreactants hence, Hcombustion is a more negative number, therefore the less stable
the molecule, the more heat is released. As a result, the level of energy bonds greatly affects the heat that
is being released, which is the heat of combustion.

Keywords: heat of combustion, bomb calorimeter, enthalpy change, heat of combustion, heat

Introduction
In combustion, the heat released when a substance is burned completely is called the heat of
combustion. Various chemical reactions are combustion reactions. It is widely used among different
countries to compare the heating number of fuels because the one with the higher value of heat is more
economical. It is vital to know the energy produced by the reaction in order to identify which fuel is the
most efficient. Also, the heat of combustion is used in comparing chemical compounds. The compound
with the higher heat of combustion is less stable because it is more active in its form. Naturally, a
combustion reaction involves the reaction of a carbon compound and oxygen to form carbon dioxide and
water (Bewick, Parsons, Forsythe, Robinson, & Dupon, 2020). Any combustion reaction is an exothermic
reaction because of oxidation that produces heat (Markgraf, 2018). In this experiment, the heat of
combustion of Benzoic acid, Naphthalene, and Sucrose was determined through the use of a bomb
calorimeter. The combustion reaction of each compound is shown respectively:
15
C6H5CO2H(s) + O2(g) → 7CO2(g) + 3H2O(l)
2
C10H8(s) + O2(g) → CO2(g) + 3 H2O(l)

C12H22O11(s) + 12O2(g) → 12CO2(g) + 11H2O(g)

During the reaction of the carbon compound and oxygen, it releases energy which is the heat of
combustion as the carbon dioxide and water are formed. As such, calorimetry is used to measure heat
which can be used to determine the heat of reaction. A constant volume calorimetry, also called adiabatic
bomb calorimetry, is used to determine the heat of combustion in a constant volume while resisting
pressure. Typically, a coffee-cup calorimeter is used as a bomb calorimeter because it is easier and
simpler than a constant-volume calorimeter. However, for a combustion reaction, in order to measure the
heat of reaction, it is recommended to use an adiabatic bomb calorimeter (Lower, 2019). In an adiabatic

Lab Report | December 11, 2020 Page | 1

 Mapua University
School of Chemical, Biological, and
Materials Engineering and Sciences

Physical Chemistry 2 Laboratory

Second Quarter AY 2020-2021

system, the system must be controlled so that no transfer of heat between the surroundings and the
system. To obtain this state in an adiabatic bomb calorimeter, figure 1 shows the bomb vessel and the
bucket are surrounded by a temperature-controlled water jacket, so the inner jacket has the same
temperature (Digital Data System, 2019).

Figure 1. Adiabatic Bomb Calorimeter

Since there is no transfer of heat and the amount of work produced by the calorimeter is
negligible, the heat (Q) and work (W) is equal to zero when taking into account the change in the total
energy of the bomb calorimeter (see eq. 1 and 2).  The heat of combustion (ΔH C) can be calculated from
the heat capacity (Cb) and change in temperature of the calorimeter (see equation 3).

∆ E total =Q+W =0 (Eq. 1)

∆ E total=∆ E system + ∆ Esurroundings=0 (Eq. 2)

∆ E system =−∆ E surrounding=Cb ∆ T =∆ H c (Eq. 3)

Moreover, the measured heat of combustion (ΔH C,measured) must be corrected due to the heat
produced by the nickel fuse wire affecting the heat of combustion. To compute for the corrected specific
heat of combustion of the sample (ΔH C,corrected), the heat of combustion of nickel wire (ΔH L,Ni) must be
subtracted to the measured heat of combustion (see equations 4 and 5).

( ∆C H s ,sample ,measured )( msample )=( ∆C H s , sample, corrected )(msample )+¿ (Eq. 4)

∆ C H s ,sample ,corrected =(∆ C H s ,sample ,measured )(m sample )−¿ ¿ (Eq. 5)

Lab Report | December 11, 2020 Page | 2

 Mapua University
School of Chemical, Biological, and
Materials Engineering and Sciences

Physical Chemistry 2 Laboratory

Second Quarter AY 2020-2021

The aforementioned concepts and equations will be useful for this experiment, as it aims to
determine the heat of combustion of three substances which are benzoic acid, naphthalene, and sucrose
through the use of an adiabatic bomb calorimeter. Also, it aims to understand the concept, mechanism,
and usage of a bomb calorimeter.

Methodology
The reagents used in this experiment are benzoic acid, naphthalene, sucrose, and 2000 ± 0.5
grams of Deionized water. The equipment utilized to accomplish the procedure are Parr 6200 Isoperibol
Calorimeter, oxygen combustion vessel, oxygen gas cylinder, volumetric pipette, wash bottle, analytical
balance, mortar and pestle, nickel fuse wire, and sample cup holder.

Preparation of Parr 6200 Isoperibol Calorimeter

Prepare the Parr 6200 isoperibol calorimeter and the oxygen combustion vessel. Fill the water
reservoir located at the back of the calorimeter until it reaches the line using a wash bottle. Switch the
calorimeter on. Then, press the calorimeter operation option found on its main menu. Activate the heater
and pump by pressing the heater and pump button. Afterwards, open the valve on the oxygen gas cylinder
until the pressure regulator indicates 450 psi. Wait for 20 mins to warm-up before continuing.

Preparation of the sample

Using the analytical balance, weigh the sample cup with a pellet of benzoic acid. Make sure that
the equipment is well calibrated. Record the enthalpy of combustion of benzoic acid found on the reagent
bottle. Subsequently, place the sample cup with the pellet on the cupholder.

Preparation of the bomb

On the ignition wire, loop a single piece of cotton thread. Center the thread and twist it creating a
single strand to be fed into the sample cup. Pipette 1 mL of water into the bomb cylinder with the use of a
volumetric pipette. Ensure that the ceiling ring is in good condition. Afterwards, lubricate the sealing ring
with water. Verify the open position of the gas valve. Position the bomb head into the bomb cylinder then
delicately push it downwards. Tighten the bomb cylinder with the screw cup. Continue until it reaches the
stop. Secure the gas outlet valve found on the bomb head. Connect the oxygen filling line to the bomb,
ensure that the connector is pushed at farthest. In order to start filling the assembled bomb with oxygen,
press the O2 fill option seen on the calorimeter control panel. It will take approximately 60 seconds. Press
the O2 button if needed to stop. Start filling the calorimeter bucket with 2000 ± 0.5 grams of deionized
water. After recording the measurement, proceed to place the bucket into the calorimeter. Secure the
placing of the bucket by aligning the indents and the pegs. Attach the lifting handle to the bomb and use it
to position the equipment on the side of the calorimeter. Before lowering the bomb, insert the ignition
wire leads into the terminal connections on the bomb head. Proceed to lowering the bomb and carefully
remove the handle, thoroughly leaving all droplets of water on the bucket. This is to maintain the total
mass of the water. Check if no bubbles are coming out of the bomb assembly before moving on. In
addition, position the thermistor and stirrer far from the bucket bomb or firing wires leaving it no contact
with each other. Close the calorimeter cover.
On the control panel, press the operating mode button to change the determination mode to
standardization mode. Press the BOMB/EE button until it reaches 1 or CHEM1280 is shown. Wait until
the temperature stabilizes to begin with the process. If a rattling noise is heard, press the abort button to
cancel. If safe, then press yes. A sample ID number is provided to be recorded and accepted. Enter the
BOMB ID as indicated in the laboratory procedure, then input the sample mass.  The instrument will

Lab Report | December 11, 2020 Page | 3

 Mapua University
School of Chemical, Biological, and
Materials Engineering and Sciences

Physical Chemistry 2 Laboratory

Second Quarter AY 2020-2021

inform before firing the bomb by beeping. Once heard, the operator should keep a distance. Observe the
change in temperature by pressing the temperature graph found on the control panel. The instrument will
then notify the operator once the test is complete by beeping briefly. The test report will automatically be
seen on the calorimeter display. Record the temperature rise.

Unloading of the bomb

Start disassembling by opening the instrument and disconnecting the ignition wire leads. Proceed
to removing the bucket containing the bomb from the calorimeter. Then, remove the bomb from the
bucket. Release the gas pressure in the bomb, slowly open the gas outlet valve until fully released for at
least one minute. Begin to loosen the cap and separate the bomb head from the cylinder. Check the
sample cup for any traces of unburned material. Dry the water bucket and the calorimeter components
between runs. Place the sample in a mortar and grind it with a pestle. Weigh 0.5 grams of the sample
placed on a sample cup on the analytical balance. Record the mass to the nearest 0.1 mg. As for the
standardization of the calorimeter, follow the same steps but set the operating mode to determination.
Once done, turn off the main valve of the oxygen tank, press the O2 fill button on the calorimeter display
to release pressure, and switch the power button of the calorimeter to off.
After performing the experiment, start calculating the heat of combustion of benzoic acid,
naphthalene, and sucrose using the equations stated above.

Results and Discussion

Table 1. Values for the Reaction
  Samples
  Benzoic Acid Naphthalene Sucrose
Molar mass (g/mol) 122.12 128.17 342.3
Initial Temperature 26.13 26.08 26.16
15
C7H6O2 + O2 →
2 C10H8 + 12O2 → C12H22O11 + 12O2 →
Combustion Reaction 7CO2 + 3H2O 10CO2 + 4H2O 12CO2 + 11H2O
Table 1. shows the initial values and reaction that will be used in the experiment and in
determining the corrected enthalpy of combustion. Three samples were used which were Benzoic Acid
with a molar mass of 122.12 g/mol, Naphthalene with a molar mass of 128.17 g/mol, and Sucrose with a
molar mass of 342.3 g/mol. The initial temperature of the samples was also recorded before it undergoes a
combustion reaction. It can be observed that in the reaction on the three samples, the hydrocarbons and
oxygen have reacted and undergone combustion, which resulted in water and carbon dioxide, a type of
combustion reaction.

Table 2. Summary of Important Data

  Samples
Benzoic
Naphthalene Sucrose
  Acid
Sample mass, g 0.7969 0.8087 0.786
Length of nickel fuse wire (consumed), cm 8 8.5 7.2
Enthalpy of combustion of nickel fuse wire, cal/cm 2.3
Measured enthalpy of combustion, cal/g 6113.43 9552.46 3946.91
Corrected enthalpy of combustion, cal/g 6090.34 9528.29 3925.84

Lab Report | December 11, 2020 Page | 4

 Mapua University
School of Chemical, Biological, and
Materials Engineering and Sciences

Physical Chemistry 2 Laboratory

Second Quarter AY 2020-2021

Corrected enthalpy of combustion, kJ/mol -3111.86 -5109.67 -5622.52

Literature value of enthalpy of combustion (kJ/mol) -3228.79 -5116.8 -5644.17
Percent Error, % 3.6215 0.1394 0.3835

This table presents the calculated values for the corrected enthalpy of the sample, ΔcHs,sample,corrected.
The values for the corrected enthalpy of the samples were determined to be a negative value due to it
being an exothermic process, since heat is produced. Furthermore, it was also observed that the corrected
enthalpy of the samples is in an increasing trend. This is due to the first-order correspondence for
homologous series, as the number of carbon atoms increases, it also helps increase the enthalpy of
combustion of the hydrocarbon (Cardozo, 1986). The molecular formula for Benzoic acid is C 7H6O2, for
the Naphthalene is C10H8, and for the Sucrose is C12H22O11. There is an observable direct proportionality
between the number of carbon atoms and the enthalpy of combustion, as stated before. The value for the
corrected enthalpy of the sample is calculated, and that it yielded a low percent error ranging from 0.14%
- 3.60% which shows reliable data from the measured enthalpy of the sample.
Based on the structure of the compounds, Benzoic acid and naphthalene were aromatic
compounds because of their delocalized pi electron system while sucrose is non-aromatic because there is
no delocalized pi electron system in the molecule. In table 2, benzoic acid and naphthalene have a smaller
amount of the enthalpy of combustion compared to sucrose. This indicates that the aromatic compound is
more stable than the non-aromatic compound due to its lesser changes in enthalpy of combustion. Also,
these compounds have resonance structures containing double single bonds and the structure has
delocalized electrons that are shared on all the atoms in the ring. As for the non-aromatic compound
which is sucrose, it is less stable due to its large amount of enthalpy of combustion and also due to the
presence of conjugated double bonds in their structure thus it is reactive.

Conclusion
In the experiment, the heat of combustion of three compounds was determined and compared.
Naphthalene and Benzoic Acid, which are aromatic compounds were analyzed to be more stable and the
unsaturated carbons cause a higher change in temperature, however, it is observed that it has a lesser
change in the heat of combustion. Another one to note is that the naphthalene has two aromatic rings,
while benzoic acid consists only of one aromatic ring. On the other hand, Sucrose, which is a non-
aromatic compound, has a lesser change in temperature but resulted in a higher heat of combustion
compared to the first two organic compounds. This is due to the fact that the more stable compounds are,
the lower the energy level of molecules that will result in a lower change in enthalpy.
The students were able to familiarize and understand how to use the bomb calorimeter through
this experiment. Results show a small percentage of discrepancies due to some possible errors that take
place during the experiment. Also, note that the experiment was done in a single trial and the setup for the
experiment is not totally isolated. In order to improve the result of the experiment, the students suggested
to ensure that the human errors are minimized, and the environment is optimized for an ideal result. It is
recommended to perform several trials to have an accurate result and also conduct a statistical analysis to
know if there are significant differences between the calculated result and the literature values of
enthalpy.

Lab Report | December 11, 2020 Page | 5

 Mapua University
School of Chemical, Biological, and
Materials Engineering and Sciences

Physical Chemistry 2 Laboratory

Second Quarter AY 2020-2021

References
Bewick, S., Parsons, R., Forsythe, T., Robinson, S., & Dupon, J. (2020, August 13). Heat of Combustion.
Retrieved from
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Book:_Introductory_Chemistry_(C
K-12)/17:_Thermochemistry/17.14:_Heat_of_Combustion
Cardozo, R. L. (1986). Prediction of the enthalpy of combustion of organic compounds. AIChE Journal,
32(5), 844–848. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.690320514
Digital Data Systems. (2017, March 30). Bomb Calorimetry Principle - The types of calorimeters.
Retrieved from https://www.ddscalorimeters.com/bomb-calorimetry-methods/
Lower, S. (2019). Constant Volume Calorimetry. Retrieved from
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoratical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Suppl
emental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Thermodynamics/Calorimetry/Constant_V
olume_Calorimetry
Markgraf, B. (2018, March 28). What is a Combustion Reaction? Retrieved from
https://sciencing.com/what-is-a-combustion-reaction-13712162.html

Appendix
Sample calculation (Benzoic Acid):
cal
∆ C H s ,sample ,corrected ( )=( ∆C H s ,sample ,measured )( m sample )−¿ ¿
g
cal cal
∆ C H s ,sample ,corrected (
cal
)=
( 6113.43
g
× 0.7969 g )−(2.3
cm
×8 cm)

g 0.7969 g
cal cal
∆ C H s ,sample ,corrected ( )=6090.3405
g g
cal 122.12 g 4.184 J 1kJ
∆ C H s ,sample ,corrected ( kJ /mol)=6090.3405 × × ×
g mol cal 1000 J
kJ kJ
∆ C H s ,sample ,corrected ( mol )=−3111.8 6 mol (exothermic)

Percent Error:

Lab Report | December 11, 2020 Page | 6

 Mapua University
School of Chemical, Biological, and
Materials Engineering and Sciences

Physical Chemistry 2 Laboratory

Second Quarter AY 2020-2021

% error=¿ Experimental Value−Theoretical Value∨ ¿ × 100 % ¿

Theoretical Value
kJ kJ ¿
% error=¿−3111.8599 −(−3228.79 )∨ ×100 % ¿
mol mol kJ
−3228.79
mol
% error=3.6215 %

Lab Report | December 11, 2020 Page | 7