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Grp No.

___ Grp Name ____________________ Grp Members___________________________________________


PS2 Section ___ Date performed: ____________________ Date Submitted: _______________________________

Specific Heat

I. Prelaboratory
Answer the following question on a separate sheet.

1. Define specific heat capacity.


2. Describe the state of thermal equilibrium.
3. Predict which among the sample metals (aluminum, copper, lead) has the greatest specific heat? What does this
imply?
4. Relate the first law of thermodynamics to the amount of heat transfer in the system.
5. Comment on the statement: The metal that has the greatest specific heat undergo the greatest heat transfer?

II. Laboratory Activity

The specific heat of a substance, usually indicated by the symbol c, is the amount of heat required to raise the
temperature of one gram of the substance by one degree Celsius. From the definition of the calorie, it can be seen
that the specific heat of water is 1.0 cal/gOC. If an object is made of a substance with specific heat equal to csub, then
the heat, Q, required to raise the temperature of that object by an amount T is:

Q = (mass of object) (csub) (T)

In this experiment you will measure the specific heats of several metals, including aluminum, copper, and lead.

What you need: calorimeter, thermometer, samples of aluminum, copper and lead, triple beam balance, boiling
water, cool water and string

What to do:

CAUTION: This experiment involves the use of boiling water and the handling of HOT metal objects. Work carefully.

1. Measure Mcal, the mass of the calorimeters you will use (it should be empty and dry). Record your result in Table 1
2. Measure the masses of the aluminum, copper, and lead samples. Record these masses in the row labeled M sample.
3. Attach a thread to each of the metal samples and suspend each of the samples in boiling water. NOTE: Allow 3 –
4 minutes for the samples to heat thoroughly. Make sure that sample is completely covered by the water but should
not touch other samples or the bottom of the casserole.
4. Fill the calorimeter approximately ½ full of cool water (use water from the drinking fountain) – use enough water
to easily cover any one of the metal samples.
5. Measure Tcool, the temperature of the cool water, and record your measurement in the table.
6. Immediately following your temperature measurement, remove the metal sample from the boiling water, quickly
wipe it dry, then suspend it in the cool water in the calorimeter (the sample should be completely covered by the
water but should not touch the bottom of the calorimeter).
7. Stir the water with your thermometer and record T final, the highest temperature attained by the water as it comes
into thermal equilibrium with the metal sample.
8. Immediately after taking the temperature, measure and record Mtotal, the total mass of the calorimeter, water,
and metal sample.

PS 2 Introductory Physics Laboratory Specific Heat

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