Experiment 2- Specific Heat Of Solids

Question 1

What’s the main objective of this lab?

Answer 1

To measure the specific heat of solids.

Question 2

Define Heat Capacity and Provide the Related Equation

Answer 2

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of an object by 1 K. Q=C∆t, where C is the heat capacity and ∆T is the temp change.

Question 3

What does the heat capacity change caused by?

Answer 3

Change in the mass of an object. More mass will constitute more required heat.

Question 4

Does the specific heat of an object change depending on the mass?

Answer 4

No, objects with the same material will have the same specific heat capacity.

Question 5

What is the equation for specific heat itself? (Related to heat capacity)

Answer 5

c=C/m

Question 6

Is there a temperature change associated with moving from state to state in an object (solid,liquid,gas)?

Answer 6

No, it is associated with the latent heat of fusion or vaporization accordingly, where Q=mL. Vaporization is for liquids to gas and viceversa. Fusion is for solid to liquid and viceversa.

Question 7

What is the equation relating the heat lost by the sample and gained by boiling the liquid nitrogen?

Answer 7

Q=m(n2)L(N2)=m(metal)c(metal)(Troom- T N2)

Question 8

How is the procedure conducted?

Answer 8

LIQUID nitrogen is placed into the styrofoam cup. Before the sample is introduced, heat transfer will occur, leading to the LN2 boiling at a constant slope. Once the sample is introduced, the rate increases, meaning that the slope will also increase. When the sample reaches the temperature of the LN2, no more heat transfer is occurring and the slope will be the same as before the sample was introduced.

Question 9

How will the mass of N2 lost be determined?

Answer 9

Straight lines will be fit to the slow loss of mass before and after the sample is introduced. The mass difference between these lines gives the amount of heat that went into the sample.

Question 10

What does the Equipartition of Energy Theorem state?

Answer 10

For every atom in a solid, the specific heat is equal to kB/2 for every allowed kind of motion (called degrees of freedom). At high temperatures, these atoms can move and vibrate in the x,y, and z directions, leading to 6 degrees of freedom. So, the specific heat for each atom is equal to 3KB. For a solid containing an Avogradro’s # of atoms, the molar specific heat should be given by:

Cv= 3KbNa=3R=25J/molK.