Purpose:

The purpose of this lab is to calculate the specific heat of

aluminum using calorimetry.

Background:
The specific heat capacity of a substance is the amount of
energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of that
substance 1˚C. The specific heat capacity of liquid water is
4.184J/g˚C. Mathematically, for systems at constant pressure, with
no volume changes, q = mC∆T, where
q=change in heat content
C=specific heat constant
M=mass of the substance
∆T=change in temperature
In this experiment, a known mass of a metal is mixed at a
high temperature with a known mass of water at room temperature
in a coffee-cup calorimeter. By measuring the initial temperature of
each substance and the final temperature of the system, the specific
heat of the metal can be determined. The formula used is:
qwater = -qmetal

mwaterCwater∆Twater = -mmetalCmetal∆Tmetal

Materials:
•
• 500mL beaker
• Hot plate
• Celsius thermometer
• Test tube, stopper, and clamp
• Analytical balance
• Aluminum sample
• 3 Styrofoam cups
• Graduated cylinder
• Distilled water
• Calculator
• Blow dryer

Procedure:
1) Fill a 500mL beaker about ¾ full of tap water, and heat the beaker
on the hot plate until the water is boiling.
2) Obtain a metal sample of aluminum, mass the sample using the
analytical balance, and record the measurement.
3) Put the massed metal sample into a dry test tube. Clamp the test
tube in the beaker of boiling water, making sure that the test tube
 does not touch the bottom of the beaker. The water level in the
beaker should be above the level of the metal in the test tube. Put
the thermometer in the test tube through the stopper so that it
makes maximum contact with the aluminum pieces.
4) Take a dry Styrofoam cup and place it in another. Cut the top of a 3rd
one to form the lid of the calorimeter. Insert the thermometer
through the top of the “coffee-cup” calorimeter.
5) Mass 60.0g of water into the calorimeter, and record the
temperature. This is the initial temperature of the water.
6) When the temperature of the aluminum pieces reaches above 90
degrees Celsius, carry out the following operation as quickly as
possible:
a. Record the temperature of the aluminum. This is the Tinitial of
the aluminum.
b. Dump the hot metal into the calorimeter.
c. Record the maximum temperature reached. This is Tfinal for
both the water and the aluminum.
7) Repeat steps 5-10 at least twice. The metal need not be reweighed,
but it must be thoroughly dried before reheating. Use the blow dryer.
The calorimeter must be dried and a fresh 60.0mL of distilled water
should be used each time. If the tap water level in the heating
beaker drops below the level of the metal, add more tap water as
required and continue to heat.
8) Dry the metal sample thoroughly and return it to its original location.
9) Calculate the specific heat of the metal from each trial, and
subsequently the average specific heat of the metal.

Conclusion:
The specific heat content of aluminum is 0.08J/g°