CALORIMETRY

J.M.G. FRANCISCO1
1
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
DATE PERFORMED: NOVEMBER 19, 2013
INSTRUCTORS NAME: MS. CHARMINE M. ALCANTARA

INTRODUCTION

negative, in which Tf < Ti, it denotes a

negative q. It implies loss of heat in
the system. But as the system absorbs
or releases heat, its surrounding does
the opposite. As stated in the First Law
of Thermodynamics: The amount of
matter and energy in the universe is
constant It implies that energy is
neither created nor destroyed as
shown in this equation:

Heat that is involved in a

process is computed by multiplying
the heat capacity of the substance
present
and
the
temperature
difference of the system:
qsys= CT = mCmT=nCnT (1)
Where C represents the heat capacity,
Cm denotes the specific heat, C n
signifies the molar heat capacity and
T is the temperature difference. Heat
capacity is the quantity of heat
required
to
the
change
the
temperature of a system by a degree
Celsius. Since it is an extensive
property, it is dependent on the
quantity
of
materials
present.
Therefore, the mass heat capacity,
also known as the specific heat, which
is the amount of heat required per
gram of substance, will be used for
computation. Originally specific heat
means that it is the quantity of heat
required to change the temperature of
a mass of a substance divided by the
quantity of heat required to produce
the same temperature change in the
same mass of water. (Petrucci, 2011)
On the other hand molar heat capacity
is applicable if in terms of moles.

qsys + qsurr =0 (2)

qsys = - qsurr
(3)
As shown in equation 2 the total sum
of the heat in the system and the
surrounding is zero. It implies that no
heat is produced nor removed. Thus,
deriving the formula, as shown in
equation 3, the heat absorbed by a
system
is
released
by
the
surroundings and vice versa.
The energy associated with
chemical bonds and intermolecular
forces of attraction is called chemical
energy. As chemical bonds brake and
form due to reactions, there is an
evident shift of chemical energy in the
system.
Furthermore,
its
energy
change can be associated with heat.
The quantity of heat exchanged during
a chemical reaction at constant
temperature is called the heat of
reaction, denoted as qrxn. Exothermic
reactions are evident when qrxn < 0,
and the system releases heat to the
surroundings.
Meanwhile,
an
endothermic
reaction
indicates
absorption of heat and is represented

A physical or chemical process

may absorb or expel heat. A positive
T in a system, in which Tf >TI denotes
a positive q in equation (1). It signifies
that heat is gained by the system. On
the other hand, if T of the system is
1

by qrxn > 0. qrxn at constant pressure

can be determined by multiplying the
mole of the limiting reactants and the
standard enthalpy of the reaction:

only in the calorimeter and the

contents within it. Hence, all heat
released by the reaction will be
absorbed by the calorimeter and vice
versa. A coffee-cup calorimeter will be
used in the experiment. It can
measure the enthalpy of the reaction
since it is isobaric; the set-up is in
constant pressure. Using the formula
in equation 1 to measure the heat
content of the calorimeter and
equation 4 to identify the heat of the
chemical reaction, and applying the
first law of thermodynamics, in
equation 3, the calorimetry equation
can be derived with this formula:
nlr Hrxn = -CcalT (5)

qrxn= nlr Hrxn (4)

Where nlr is the mole of the limiting
reactant and Hrxn is the enthalpy
change of the reaction. Enthalpy,
represented by H, is the heat content
of the chemical. It is the sum of the
internal energy and the work done of
the system. Standard enthalpy of the
reaction is then defined as the
difference of the total standard
enthalpy of formation of the products
and the total standard enthalpy of
formation of the reactants at constant
pressure (Silberberg, 2010). By its
meaning, it implies that the standard
enthalpy of the reaction is a kind of
state function and its theoretical
amount can be computed by this
formula:
Hrxn =

Where nlr denotes the mole of the

limiting reactant, Hrxn represents the
enthalpy of reaction, Ccal indicates the
heat capacity of the calorimeter and
T defines the difference of the
temperature in the calorimeter. Prior
to this, Ccal must be obtained by
calibrating the calorimeter. By means
of neutralizing hydrogen to hydroxide
with a known enthalpy of reaction to
calibrate:

n H n H
p

f p

f r

Where np is the stoichiometric

coefficients of individual products, nr is
the individual stoichiometric factor of
the reactants. Hfp denotes the
standard enthalpy of formation of the
product and Hfr represents the
standard enthalpy of formation of the
reactants.

H+ + OH-

H2O Hrxn = -55.85

KJ/mol (6)

The enthalpy acquired in equation 6,

and the application of equation 5, the
heat capacity of the calorimeter can
be determined. It is not just the
enthalpy of a neutralization type of
reaction is being measured; there are
also cases of displacement and
precipitation reaction in which a solid
phase is produced. Since the solid
particles developed in the calorimeter
have its own specific heat, it added up
to the factors that involved in the
exchange of energy. Using equation 5,
a derived formula can be formed:

In this experiment, the tool that

will be used in measuring the quantity
of heat is the calorimeter. Calorimetry
is an experimental procedure to
quantify the flow of heat and to know
the change in enthalpy, at constant
pressure, or the change in the internal
energy, at constant volume, of a
chemical reaction. In a calorimeter,
energy is conserved and it is in an
adiabatic condition, or the total q=0. It
signifies the exchange of heat occurs

nlr Hrxn = -(Ccal + mlrCmlr)T (7)

nlr Hrxn = -(Ccal + mlrCmlr + merCmer)T

(8)
nlr Hrxn = -(Ccal + mpptCmppt)T (9)

of
metal,
Timetal
is
the
initial
temperature of the metal, mwater is the
total mass of water present in the
calorimeter, Cmwater is the specific heat
of
water,
Tiwater
is
the
initial
temperature of water and T f is the final
temperature as the two objects
reaches thermal equilibrium. The
computation of the mass specific heat
of a specific metal can be used in
determining its purity based on the
percent error attained during the
experiment.

Where mlr is the mass of the solid

limiting reactant and Cmlr is its specific
heat. mppt represents the mass of the
precipitate and Cmppt is its specific
heat. And lastly, mer denotes the mass
of the solid excess reactant left and
Cmer is its specific heat. In a
displacement reaction, equation 7
shows the product of the complete
oxidation of the metal is added to the
overall
heat
capacity
of
the
calorimeter in contrast with equation 8
in which the excess left in the reactant
metal being oxidized is included. In a
precipitate reaction, equation 9 is
used in which the heat capacity of the
precipitate formed is summed up with
the heat capacity of the calorimeter.

The objective of this experiment

is to determine the enthalpy change of
different
kinds
of
neutralization
reaction, a displacement reaction and
a precipitate reaction using a coffeecup calorimeter. Another purpose of
this experiment is to test the purity of
an iron nail based on the experimental
specific heat computed using the
concept of calorimetry

Specific heat of metals can also

be calculated using the calorimeter in
terms
of
thermal
equilibrium.
Molecules of the warmer body,
through collisions, lose kinetic energy
to those of the colder body. Thermal
energy is transferred until the average
kinetic energy of the two bodies
becomes the same. (Petrucci, 2011)
Thus equilibrium is attained. Assuming
that qcal=qwater, and using equation 1 to
calculate heat and applying the
concept
of
the
first
law
of
thermodynamics in equation 3, a
derived formula can be attained:

REFERENCE
[1] Petrucci, R. Herring, F., Madura, J.,
& Bissonnete, C. General Chemistry:
Principles and Modern Applications
10th edition. Pearson Education Inc.
Canada. 2011
[2] Silberberg, M. Principles of general
chemistry.
McGraw-Hill
Higher
Education. Boston. 2010.
[3]
University
of
Washington.
http://depts.washington.edu/chemcrs/
bulkdisk/chem120A_aut06/info_CHEM1
20_Lab_Manual_Part_2.pdf .(accessed
November 25, 2013)

mmetal Cmmetal (Tf - Timetal)= - mwater Cmwater

(Tf Tiwater) (10)
where mmetal is denoted as the mass of
the metal, Cmmetal is the specific heat