UNIT III.

Fuels
Learning Objectives

At the end of the activity I am able to:

• Determine how a calorimeter works

• Solve problems involving calorimetry concepts

Introduction

General statements about nationwide or worldwide energy resources and their consequences
may seem abstract in many respects, if only because the numbers are so large. Making the
connection between this global scale and systems we can observe in a laboratory requires a
systematic way to measure energy flow. We can do this by observing heat flow into or out of
a system through a set of techniques collectively called calorimetry.

Heat Capacity and Specific Heat Capacity

Heat capacity - the quantity of heat required to change its temperature by 1 K.

Heat (q)
Heat Capacity = (unit: J/K)
Change in Temperature (∆T)

Specific Heat Capacity - the quantity of heat required to change the temperature of 1
gram of a substance by 1 K
(q)
Specific Heat Capacity (c) = (unit: J/gK)
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 x (∆𝑇)

Molar Heat Capacity - the quantity of heat required to change the temperature of 1
mole of a substance by 1 K
(q)
Molar Heat Capacity (C) = (unit: J/molK)
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 x (∆𝑇)

Heat absorbed or released: q = c x mass x ΔT

* The specific heat capacity of liquid water is 4.184 J/gK

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Sample Problem 1. Heat from Specific Heat Capacity

Heating a 24.0-g aluminum can raises its temperature by 15.0°C. Find the value of q for the
can (c = 0.900 J/gK).

Solution: Calculate q using the formula,

q = c x mass x ΔT

q = mc ΔT

= (24.0g) (0.900 J/gK) (15.0K)

= 324J

Sample Problem 2. Heat from Specific Heat Capacity

A layer of copper welded to the bottom of a skillet weighs 125 g. How much heat is needed
to raise the temperature of the copper layer from 25 C to 300°C? The specific heat capacity
(c) of Cu is 0.387 J/ gK.

Solution: Calculate q using the formula,

q = mcΔT

= (125g) (0.387 J/gK) (300-25K)

= 1.33 𝑥 104 J

Calorimetry and Calorimeter

Calorimetry is the term used to describe the measurement of heat flow. Experiments are
carried out in devices called calorimeters.

The calorimeter is a device used to measure the heat released (or absorbed) by a physical
or chemical process. This apparatus is the “surroundings” that changes temperature when heat
is transferred to or from the system. Two common types are the constant-pressure and
constant-volume calorimeters.
A. Coffee-Cup Calorimeter
- used for constant-pressure calorimetry
- often used to measure the heat transferred (q P) in processes open to the atmosphere.
- used to find the specific heat capacity of a solid that does not react with or dissolve
in water.

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 - The solid (system) is weighed, heated to some known temperature, and added to a
sample of water (surroundings) of known temperature and mass in the calorimeter. With
stirring, the final water temperature, which is also the final temperature of the solid, is
measured.
- The heat lost by the system (-qsys, or -qsolid) is equal in magnitude but opposite in
sign to the heat gained by the surroundings (+q surr, or + qH2O),
-qsolid = qH2O

Substituting q = mcΔT to the equation above,

- (csolid x masssolid x ΔTsolid ) = cH2O x massH2O x ΔTH2O

All the quantities are known or measured except csolid:
(𝑐𝐻2𝑂) (𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠𝐻2𝑂)( 𝛥𝑇𝐻2𝑂)
csolid=
(𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑) (𝛥𝑇𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑)

Figure 1. Coffee-cup calorimter set-up

Sample Problem 3. Determining the Amount of Heat using a Coffee-Cup Calorimeter

Suppose you heat a 25.64-g solid in a test tube to 100.00°C and carefully add it to 50.00 g of
water in a coffee-cup calorimeter. The water temperature changes from 25.10°C to 28.49°C.
What is the specific heat capacity of the solid?

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Solution: To solve for csolid, find the values of ΔTsolid and ΔTH2O
ΔTsolid= Tfinal – Tinitial
= 28.49°C – 100°C = -71.51°C = -71.51K (direct conversion of ΔT unit)

ΔTH2O= Tfinal – Tinitial

= 28.49°C – 25.10°C = 3.39°C = 3.39K (direct conversion of ΔT unit)

(𝑐𝐻2𝑂) (𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠𝐻2𝑂)( 𝛥𝑇𝐻2𝑂)

csolid= (𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑) (𝛥𝑇𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑)
J
(4.184gK)(50.00𝑔)(3.39𝐾)
=
(25.64𝑔)(−71.51𝐾)

= 0.387 J/gK

B. Bomb Calorimeter

- used for constant-volume calorimetry

- designed to measure very precisely the heat released in a combustion reaction
- A preweighed combustible sample in a metal-walled chamber (the bomb) is filled
with oxygen gas and immersed in an insulated water bath fitted with motorized stirrer and
thermometer. A heating coil connected to an electrical source ignites the sample, and the heat
evolved raises the temperature of the bomb, water, and other calorimeter parts. Because we
know the mass of the sample and the heat capacity of the entire calorimeter, we can use the
measured ΔT to calculate the heat released.

Figure 2. Bomb calorimeter set-up

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 - In the bomb calorimeter, the heat released by the combustion of the sample is
gained by the calorimeter,

-qsample = qcalorimeter

Sample Problem 4. Determining the Amount of Heat using a Bomb Calorimeter

A manufacturer claims that its new dietetic dessert has “fewer than 10 Calories (10Cal =
41.84kJ) per serving.” To test the claim, a chemist at the Department of Consumer Affairs
places one serving in a bomb calorimeter and burns it in O 2 (heat capacity of the calorimeter
=8.151 kJ/K). The temperature increases 4.937°C. Is the manufacturer’s claim correct?

Solution: We know that -qsample = qcalorimeter.

To confirm if the manfacturer’s claim is correct, we need to find the heat

gained by the calorimeter using the formula,

qcalorimeter = ccalorimeter x ΔT

qcalorimeter = (8.151kJ/ K) (4.937K)

qcalorimeter = 40.24kJ

Since qcalorimeter (40.24kJ)< 10Cal(41.84kJ), the claim is correct.

References

Brown, L. S., & Holme, T. A. (2011). Chemistry for Engineering Students (2nd ed.).
Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.
Silberberg, M. S. (2006). Chemistry : the molecular nature of matter and change (5th ed.).
McGraw-Hill.

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Assessing Learning
Activity 3
Name: ______________________________ Score: _________
Course/Year/Section: ____________ Date: __________

Directions: Determine what is asked in the given questions then write your answers on the
space provided.

I. Matching Type. Match Column A with the terms in Column B. Write the CAPITAL LETTER
than corresponds to your answer before each number.

Column A Column B
1. The quantity of heat required to change the A. Bomb calorimeter
temperature of a substance by 1 K. B. Heat capacity
2. The quantity of heat required to change the C. Coffee-cup calorimter
temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 K. D. Specific heat capacity
3. The quantity of heat required to change the E. Constant- pressure
temperature of 1mole of a substance by 1 K. calorimeter
4. The specific heat capacity of liquid water is F. Molar heat capacity
______.
5. The term used to describe the measurement of G. Constant- volume
heat flow. calorimeter
6. A device used to measure the heat released (or H. 4.184 J/gK
absorbed) by a physical or chemical process. I. Calorimeter
7. The two common types of calorimeter. J. Calories
8. The two common types of calorimeter. K. Heat
9. This calorimeter is used for constant- pressure L. Calorimetry
calorimetry. M. System
10. This calorimeter is used for constant- volume N. Surroundings
calorimetry. O. Temperature

II. Problem Solving. Start with the given, write the formula and show step by step solution for
each problem. Box your final answer with the correct unit.

1. After heating a copper sample, its temperature increased by 20°C. What is the value
of q if CCu= 0.900 J/ gK?

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 2. A piece of zinc was heated from 20.00°C to 28.00°C. What must be the weight of the
zinc if it liberated 111J of heat (CZn= 0.388 J/ gK)?

3. A glass contains 250.0 g of warm water at 78.0°C. A piece of gold at 2.30°C is placed
in the water. The final temperature reached by this system is 76.9°C. What was the
mass of gold? The specific heat of water is 4.184 J/ gK, and that of gold is 0.129 J/
gK.

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