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1 Investigating the specific heat capacity of a solid and a liquid

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Syeda Aliha Zaidi
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10 views

1 Investigating the specific heat capacity of a solid and a liquid

Uploaded by

Syeda Aliha Zaidi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1 Investigating the specific heat capacity of a solid and a liquid

Experimental Writeup
1. Place the beaker on the digital balance and press 'zero'
2. Add approximately 250 ml of water and record the mass of the water using the digital
balance
3. Place the immersion heater and thermometer in the water
4. Connect up the circuit as shown in the diagram, with the ammeter in series with the
power supply and immersion heater, and the voltmeter in parallel with the immersion
heater
5. Record the initial temperature of the water at time 0 s
6. Turn on the power supply, set it at approximately 10 V, and start the stopwatch
7. Record the voltage from the voltmeter and the current from the ammeter
8. Continue to record the temperature, voltage and current every 60 seconds for 10
minutes

How different is the calculated value from the theoretical one?

The calculated value for the specific heat capacity of water or aluminum may differ from the
theoretical value due to:
● Measurement inaccuracies (e.g., thermometer resolution).
● Heat losses to the surroundings.
● Incomplete thermal equilibrium.

Suggest sources of error in the experiment described above to find the specific heat
capacity of water.
- Systematic Errors:
- Inaccurate mass measurement if the balance isn’t zeroed properly.
- Heat loss due to evaporation, which can be mitigated by averaging the mass before and
after the experiment.
- Random Errors:
- Inconsistent stirring of the water may lead to temperature stratification.
- Variations in recorded voltage or current should be consistently measured.

What differences would you make in the experimental setup if water is replaced with
iron.( You can choose the type of shavings , pieces or a block).

- A smaller, insulated container may be necessary to minimize heat loss, as metals have
lower specific heat capacities than water.
- Ensure good thermal contact between the immersion heater and the iron pieces to
ensure effective heat transfer.
- Use a more sensitive thermometer, as the temperature changes may occur more rapidly
with iron.
- Adjust calculations for energy supplied, considering the different mass and specific heat
capacity of iron compared to water.

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