Note:

Enhance the Background, research and indicate/discuss

1- the definition of the specific heat of metals and cite examples of metals and their specific heat values
(true value) (include the metals you use in this experiment)

Experiment 6 - MEASURING THE SPECIFIC HEAT OF METALS

Background:

Changes in heat can be determined by measuring changes in temperature. When a substance

is heated, the heat gained, q, depends on three factors – the mass of the substance, m, in grams; the
specific heat of the substance, C ; and the change in temperature of the substance, . The following
equation is used to calculate the amount of heat absorbed or lost by a substance.

q = m x Cx

In this experiment, you will measure the specific heat of several metals but first you will need to
make and calibrate a calorimeter. You will start with a known mass of water in your calorimeter. When
then heated metal is added to the water, you can measure the change in temperature for the water.
Using the specific heat of water (4.184 J/g.oC) and your calorimeter calibration constant, you will be
able to calculate the amount of heat gained by the water and the calorimeter. This amount is equal to
the amount of heat lost by the metal. If the temperature change and mass of the metal are known, its
specific heat can be determined:

Heat released by the metal = heat absorbed by the water and calorimeter

-qmetal = qwater + qcalorimeter (eqn. 1)

-{mmetal x cp metal x metal} = {(mwater x cp water x water) + (C’ x water)}

Note: C’ = is the calorimeter constant from Expt. 5

General Safety:

 Always wear safety goggles, gloves and lab apron to protect your eyes and clothing
 If you get a chemical in your eyes, immediately flush the chemical out at the eyewash station
while calling your teacher
 Turn off hot plates and other heat sources when not in use. Do not touch a hot plate when it
has just turned off.
 Use tongs when handling hot containers

Specific Heat of Metals Page 1

 Objectives: a. Calibrate a simple calorimeter (Done in Experiment 5)
b. Relate the measurements of temperature to changes in heat content.
c. Calculate the specific heats of metals

Materials:
100 ml graduated cylinder 2 pcs. 400 ml beakers Balance
Beaker tongs Bunsen burner, striker or hot plate ring stand and clamp
Glass stirring rod test tube (large) test tube holder
tongs for handling the metals wire gauze Metal samples

Procedure:
1. Calibrate the calorimeter (Experiment 5). Use the calorimeter constant in each of your calculations.
2. Measure 100 ml of water and pour it into the calorimeter. Allow the water to come to room temperature. Record
the mass and temperature of the water in one of the specific heat data along with the identity of the metal you will
use for this trial.
3. Measure the mass of the metal as precisely as possible before placing it in the test tube. Record the mass of the
metal in your data table.
4. Fill a 400 ml beaker with water and add some boiling chips. Place piece of the metal in the large test tube. Use
as much metal as possible, but be sure that when the test tube is placed in the beaker of water, all the metal is
below the surface of the water.
5. Clamp the test tube to the ring stand. Set the beaker on the wire gauze and lower the test tube clamp so that all
the metal in the test tube is below the surface of the water. Heat the water until it boils. Allow the water to boil
for 10 mins. You can now assume that the metal is at the temperature of the boiling water. Record this
temperature on the data Table.
6. Holding the test tube with the clamp, transfer the metal to the calorimeter without splashing out any water. Be
careful not to burn your skin with the hot water or the metal. Put the top on the calorimeter. Stir gently for 30s
while observing the temperature. Record the highest temperature reached by the water.
7. Repeat the procedure for other metal.

Specific Heat of Metals Page 2

 Name: ____________________________________ Date: ___________________

REPORT SHEET FOR EXPERIMENT 6 – Measuring the Specific Heat of Metals

Data Table
[ water – Fe system] [ water – Cu system]
H2O Metal #1 H2O Metal #2
(Fe) [ (Cu)

Initial Temp, t1

Final temp, t2

Change in temp,
======= ======
Volume of H2O used,v, mL

Mass, g
o 0 0
Specific heat , Cp(J/g C) 4.184 J/g C 4.184 J/g C

Data analysis and Calculations: [Calculations shall be up to 2 decimal places. Use additional sheets is necessary]

1. Show your solutions in obtaining the values in each blanks.

2. Calculate the heat absorbed by the calorimeter, q calorimeter using the C’ obtained from Expt. 5 and the change of
temp. of water obtained in this experiment.
3. Calculate the heat absorbed by the water.
4. Substituting values, calculate the Specific heat of the metals using the equations mentioned.
5. Make a research for the true value of the specific heats of metals used and compute for the % error, using the
formula:
%error = x 100
6. Finish filling in the data table.

Analysis and Conclusions: [Write the answers at the back page]

1. Write a word equation for the relationship between the heat lost by the metal, the heat gained by the water and the
heat gained by the calorimeter.

2. How do the specific heats of metals compare with the specific heat of water?
What does the comparison imply about the amount of heat needed to bring equal masses of metal and water to
the same temperature?
Which one would absorb heat better?

3. State the scientific law that is the basis for the assumption that the heat energy lost by the metal as it cools is
equal to the heat energy gained by the water and calorimeter.

Sample Problem related to this experiment: [use the Given-Required-Solution-Answer format]

1. Suppose a piece of iron with a mass of 21.5 g at a temp of 100.0 °C is dropped into an insulated container of
water. The mass of the water is 132.0 g and its temperature before adding the iron is 20.0 °C. What will be the
final temp of the system? Specific heat of iron is 0.449 kJ/kg K.

Specific Heat of Metals Page 3

2. A 43.2 g block of an unknown metal at 89.0 °C was dropped into an insulated vessel containing 43.00 g of ice
and 26.00 g of water at 0 °C. After the system had reached equilibrium it was determined that 9.15 g of the ice
1
had melted. What is the specific heat of the metal? (The heat of fusion of ice = 334.166 J g¯ .)

https://www.redlandsusd.net/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=18292&dataid=281
85&FileName=Exercise%206.2b%20-%20Calorimetry%20-%20Answers.pdf

https://www.chemteam.info/Thermochem/Determine-Specific-Heat-Probs1-10.html

Specific Heat of Metals Page 4