Virtual High School Specific Heat Capacity Pre Experiment Question

Instructions

Your task is to plan and conduct a simple experiment to test whether changes in temperature alter the specific heat of a substance. In this experiment, you will use the simulation provided by ChemCollective to plan and conduct your experiment.

Select the link to open the Heat Capacity simulation in another browser window.

Step 1: Pre-Experiment Question

In order to complete this assignment, you must be able to calculate the specific heat capacity of a substance by manipulating the formula, Before you begin planning your experiment, complete the question below and upload your response to the Assignment: Specific Heat Capacity Dropbox for your teacher to review.

A 50.0 g piece of aluminum metal with an initial temperature of 120.15 °C is dropped into 100.0 g of water that has an initial temperature of 21.26 °C. The calorimeter is perfectly insulated. The final temperature of the metal and water is 44.41 °C. What is the specific heat capacity (c) of aluminum?Step 2: Planning Your Experiment

Determine your independent and dependent variables. In this experiment, you want to test whether changes to the temperature of the substance effect its specific heat. Identify both the independent variable and dependent variable in this situation.

Once you have decided on your independent and dependent variables, determine the testable question you wish to investigate. Ensure that your testable question can be answered using quantifiable data and not simply qualitative observations. In this experiment, you want to note how the change in the independent variable affects the dependent variable. 

1. Once you have decided on your testable question, propose a reasonable hypothesis for the experiment you plan to conduct. Your hypothesis should explain how the change in your independent variable will affect your dependent variable. As previously stated, the change in your dependent variable should be quantifiable.

Upload your variables, testable question, and hypothesis to the Assignment: Specific Heat Capacity Dropbox. Your teacher will review your work to ensure your experimental set-up is correct. 

STEP 3: CONDUCTING YOUR EXPERIMENT

1. Apply any feedback from your teacher to your planned experiment.
2. Conduct your experiment to test your hypothesis.

PROCEDURE

Use the steps outlined below to complete the experiment.

1. In the Stockroom, click on the Glassware tab, and select a 250 mL Erlenmyer flask. It will appear on the lab bench.
2. Right click on the flask. Then click on Rename. Name this flask “Water.”
3. Return to the Stockroom. Click on the Solutions tab. Add the 3000 mL of Distilled Water container to the lab bench.
4. Click and hold the carboy of Distilled Water, and move it over on top of the flask marked “Water”. A measurement box will appear. Transfer 50.00 mL of distilled water into the flask. Return to the Stockroom.
5. In the Stockroom, add the Erlenmeyer flask containing 100.00 mL of Compound Y to the lab bench. Assume that Compound Y has a density of 1.62 g/mL.
6. On the lab bench, right click on the flask containing water and choose Thermal Properties. Click on “Insulate from surroundings,” and change the temperature to 40 °C for Trial 1.
7. Right click on the flask containing Compound Y, and choose Thermal Properties. Click on “Insulate from surroundings,” and change the temperature to 20 °C.
8. Click and hold the flask containing Compound Y, and move it over on top of the flask containing water. A measurement box will appear. Transfer 100.00 mL of Compound Y into the flask containing water. Record the final temperature of the solution.
9. Repeat steps 1–8 for water at 50 °C (Trial 2).
10. Repeat steps 1–8 for water at 60 °C (Trial 3).
11. Record all pertinent data into a well-organized table.

Hint: There is one variable in the procedure that is changed. Consider this when considering your variables.

STEP 4: COMMUNICATING YOUR RESULTS

1. Once you have completed your test(s), communicate your results in a lab report.
2. Your lab report should include the following sections: testable question, hypothesis, materials, procedure (including your identified variables), observations, results, discussion, and conclusion.