Question

Questions from Calorimeter Lab:

1) Examine the initial and final temperatures in Part I. Explain how the temperatures tell you what type of thermochemical reaction was involved (endothermic or exothermic).

2) We assumed that no heat is lost to the surroundings beyond the nested coffee cups. In Part I, obviously there would have been some loss in heat as the hot metal is transferred to the calorimeter. How does that unavoidable heat loss affect your calculated specific heat of the metal? Would your calculated specific heat be too high or too low due this error? Explain fully.

3) In Part II, we assume that the density and specific heat of the solution is the same as that of water. What justifications do we have to make that assumption? Explain.

4) Using the molar heat of neutralization obtained in your experiment (-51 kJ/mol HCl), calculate how much heat you would expect to be produced if you mixed 50.0 mL of 0.250 M HCl with by 50.0 mL of 0.250 M NaOH. Show your calculations. (Hint: How many moles of HCl are involved?)

Answer 1