Aditya Patel

Chemistry Lab 5
Aim
Calculate the enthalpy of reaction for the following displacement reaction

Apparatus
1.
Calorimeter
2.
Digital thermometer
3.
Glass beaker
4.
Zinc powder
5.
CuSO4 solution (0.5 M conc.)
6.
Pipette
7.
Digital balance
8.
Stirrer

Procedure
1.
Pipette out 25 cm3 of the aqueous copper (II) sulphate into a glass beaker.
2.
Weigh about 6 gm of zinc powder in a weighing bottle. Since this is excess, there is
no need to be very accurate.
3.
Put the thermometer through the hole in the lid of the calorimeter, stir thoroughly
and record the temperature every half-minute to the nearest 0.1C for about 2.5
minutes.
4.
At exactly 3 minutes, add zinc powder to the cup.
5.
Continue stirring and record the temperature for an additional 6 to 8 minutes to
complete the data collection.

Aditya Patel

Data Collection and Processing

Raw Data
Weight of beaker + Stirrer
Weight of Beaker + Stirrer + CuSO4
Weight of Zn taken

= 37.60g 0.01g
= 64.26g 0.02g
= 6.14g 0.01g

The table consists of the collection of temperature readings of the reaction between Zn
and CuSO4, between specific time intervals(15s 0.1s).
Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

47.4

44.7

43.0

43.0

41.1

38.7

43.0

41.0

38.6

42.9

40.7

38.5

43.1

40.6

38.4

43.0

40.6

38.4

43

40.5

38.3

42.9

40.3

38.1

42.9

40.2

37.9

42.8

40.1

37.7

42.7

40.1

37.5

42.7

40.0

37.5

42.5

39.9

37.4

42.5

39.8

37.3

42.4

39.7

37.3

42.3

39.5

37.2

42.2

39.5

37.2

Aditya Patel

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

42.1

39.5

37.1

42.0

39.3

36.9

41.9

39.2

36.8

41.7

39.1

36.8

41.7

39.1

36.7

41.7

39.1

36.6

41.6

38.9

36.5

41.5

39.1

36.4

41.4

39.1

36.3

41.4

39.0

36.2

41.3

38.9

36.1

41.2

38.8

36.1

The following Graph shows the Temperature of the mixture at various times during the
experiment.

The following graph has an uncertainty of 0.1C on the y axis and 0.01s on the x axis.

Aditya Patel

Weight of beaker + Stirrer

Weight of Beaker + Stirrer + CuSO4
Weight of Zn taken

= 62.54g 0.01g
= 88.54g 0.01g
= 6.40g 0.01g

The table consists of the collection of temperature readings of the reaction between Zn
and CuSO4, between specific time intervals(15s 0.1s).
Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

26.4

40.3

44.8

26.4

40.2

44.7

26.4

40.1

45.8

26.4

40.0

45.6

26.4

39.9

45.8

26.4

39.8

46.4

26.4

39.8

46.8

26.4

39.7

47.3

26.4

39.7

47.5

26.4

39.6

47.3

26.4

39.5

47.1

26.4

39.5

46.9

26.4

39.5

46.8

26.4

39.5

46.5

26.4

39.5

46.5

26.4

39.4

46.3

26.4

39.4

46.3

41.8

39.3

46.2

Aditya Patel

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

26.4

40.3

44.8

43.1

41.2

46.0

42.5

42.2

45.8

42.0

42.2

45.8

41.6

42.1

45.8

41.3

42.1

45.5

41.1

42.1

45.4

40.9

42.1

45.3

40.7

42.1

45.2

40.5

43.5

45.1

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

45.1

41.2

38.5

45.0

41.1

38.4

44.9

40.9

38.3

44.8

40.8

38.3

44.5

40.7

38.2

44.3

40.6

38.1

44.2

40.4

38.0

44.0

40.3

37.8

43.8

40.2

37.8

43.7

40.2

37.7

43.5

40.1

37.6

43.3

39.9

37.4

43.2

39.8

37.4

43.0

39.7

37.3

42.9

39.6

37.2

42.8

39.5

37.2

42.6

39.4

37.1

42.4

39.3

36.9

42.3

39.2

36.8

42.2

39.1

36.8

Aditya Patel

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

26.4

40.3

44.8

42.1

39.1

36.6

41.9

39.0

36.5

41.8

38.9

36.5

41.6

38.8

36.4

41.5

38.7

36.3

41.4

38.7

36.2

41.3

38.7

36.2

The following Graph shows the Temperature of the mixture at various times during the
experiment.

The following graph has an uncertainty of 0.1C on the y axis and 0.01s on the x axis.

Aditya Patel

Weight of beaker + Stirrer

Weight of Beaker + Stirrer + CuSO4
Weight of Zn taken

= 38.30g 0.01g
= 64.86g 0.01g
= 6.19g 0.01g

The table consists of the collection of temperature readings of the reaction between Zn
and CuSO4, between specific time intervals(15s 0.1s).
Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

26.7

46.4

44.0

26.7

46.3

44.0

26.7

46.3

43.9

26.7

46.2

43.8

26.8

46.2

43.8

26.7

46.2

43.7

26.8

46.1

43.6

26.8

46.1

43.5

26.8

46.1

43.3

26.8

46.0

43.3

26.8

45.8

43.2

26.8

45.7

43.1

26.8

45.6

43.0

Aditya Patel

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

26.8

45.6

43.1

26.8

45.4

42.9

26.8

45.3

42.9

26.8

45.1

42.8

41.5

45.0

42.8

43.7

45.0

42.7

44.6

44.9

42.6

45.8

44.9

42.5

46.4

44.9

42.5

46.7

44.5

42.4

46.7

44.4

42.3

46.6

44.2

42.3

46.5

44.2

42.2

46.4

44.2

42.0

41.9

39.9

37.7

41.8

39.8

37.6

41.8

39.8

37.5

41.6

39.7

37.5

41.6

39.7

37.4

41.5

39.6

37.4

41.5

39.5

37.2

41.4

39.4

37.2

41.2

39.2

37.1

41.1

39.1

37.0

41.2

39.1

37.0

41.0

39.1

36.9

40.9

39.1

36.8

40.9

39.0

36.8

40.8

39.0

36.7

40.6

38.9

36.6

40.6

38.7

36.4

40.6

38.7

36.4

40.5

38.5

36.3

40.5

38.5

36.1

40.4

38.3

36.0

Aditya Patel

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

Temperature (C)
(0.1C)

40.3

38.2

36.0

40.3

38.2

36.0

40.2

38.1

35.8

40.1

38.1

35.8

40.0

38.0

35.7

40.0

37.8

35.7

The following Graph shows the Temperature of the mixture at various times during the
experiment.
The following graph has an uncertainty of 0.1C on the y axis and 0.01s on the x axis.

Aditya Patel

Graph showing the Temperature of the mixture at various times during the experiment.

Qualitative data for all the above readings.

1)
The temperature remained constant at first but increased rapidly later. It decreased
gently for the rest of the experiment.
2)
A black residue if left back at the end of the reaction which will be ZnSO 4.

Processed Data
From reading 1
The max temperature reached can be seen as approximately 48C from the graph.
H = mct, where
m
= mass of CuSO4
c
= specific heat capacity of water ie. 4.18 J/g/C
t
= change in temperature
H = (64.26 - 37.60) x 4.18 x (48.9 - 26.4)
H = 26.66 x 4.18 x 22.5
H = 2507.37J
Now calculating the Heat(J/mol) released by the reaction between Zn and CuSO 4

Hence the amount of heat released in J/mol is

Aditya Patel

//

2507.37
0.0125
H = 200589.84 J/mol
H=

Calculating uncertainty
Uncertainty in mass = 0.01g
Uncertainty in temperature = 0.1C
Uncertainty in volume = 0.1ml or 0.0001 dm3
Uncertainty in subtracting masses
Uncertainty in subtracting temperatures

= (0.01 + 0.01)
= 0.02g
= (0.1 + 0.1)
= 0.2C

0.02
UncertaintyinHeatreleasedinthereaction=

26.66
= 0.010 x 2407.08
= 24.17J

24.17
UncertaintyinHeatreleasedforJ/mol=

2507.37
= 0.0176 x 200589.84
= 3538.32J/mol

The total amount of heat generated

= 201000 3540 J/mol (3 s.f.)

Using the same process for the other 2 readings we get the following details:Reading 2

= 182000 3580 J/mol

Reading 3

= 178000 3430 J/mol

Therefore the average of the readings

= 187000 3520 J/mol

Conclusion and Evaluation

Aditya Patel

Conclusion
The heat generated by the reaction between 6 gram (excess) Zinc metal and CuSO 4 of
concentration 0.5M equals -187 3.52 kJ/mol or 1.88 % (Since it was exothermic, there is
a negative sign), whereas the actual value for this reaction is -217 kJ/mol 1. Therefore the
error of this experiment is 13.8%. The entire lab was carried out under lab conditions.
Evaluation
1.
The calorimeter lid was not properly closed and not properly insulated.
2.
There was a lot of heat lost by the small hole in the calorimeter as well as the digital
thermometer rod which was made of metal.
3.
The zinc may have not been 100% pure and hence altering the data.
4.
All the zinc did not react immediately and so there was a sudden change in
temperature when the mixture was stirred.
5.
There were also a large amount of unreacted chemicals due to which the heat
released could have been altered.
6.
The stirring of the mixture may have added external heat to the solution by friction.
7.
All the 3 readings have not been carried out on the same day and hence the
surrounding conditions may have changed.
Method of Improvement
1.
There should be proper care taken that the lid of the calorimeter is closed quickly
and all experiments are carried out under the same conditions.
2.
The thermometer used should be a glass thermometer with a low uncertainty
instead of a metal digital one so that the amount of heat lost by conduction is reduced
as well as the temperature recorded is accurate.
3.
A high purity of zinc metal should be used to reduce the chances of altering the data
of the data collected.
4.
The mixture must not be stirred vigorously which could add excess heat to the
solution.

1 http://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/alevel/module2/documents/N-ch2-11.pdf