CALORIMETRY

C. DG. MARIANO
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION, COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
DATE PERFORMED: APRIL 15, 2014
INSTRUCTORS NAME: MR. MARO PENA

INTRODUCTION
We can cook food because the fire in our stoves. We can travel because our car engines burn
the fuel fed on it. We can breathe in oxygen because of photosynthesis. All of these are the results of
chemical reactions happening around us. Chemical reactions are processes wherein chemical bonds
are either formed or broken, thus changing the chemical energy of the system. This change in
energy often results to heat. The term heat of reaction (qrxn) is used to represent the evolution
(exothermic reaction) or absorption (endothermic reaction) of heat between the system and its
surroundings. When the heat of the reaction is measured at constant pressure, the heat flow for the
process (qp) is equal to the enthalpy change (H). Endothermic reactions denotes positive enthalpy
change while exothermic processes denotes negative enthalpy change.1 Being a state function
which is independent of the path chosen, the theoretical enthalpy change of a reaction (H orxn) is
computed by getting the difference between the products of the standard enthalpies of formation
(H of) and the stoichiometric coefficients (n) of the products and the reactants:
H orxn=npH of(products) - nrH of(reactants)

(1)

Calorimetry is a technique used to measure the heat flow in a reaction. In this process, the
heat evolved or absorbed in the reaction is trapped in a device or container called calorimeter in
order to produce a measurable change in the temperature. This apparatus is the surroundings
that change temperature when heat is transferred to and from the system.2 The container used as a
calorimeter should thermally insulate the reaction, meaning no heat exchange should occur
between it and its surroundings. Hence, the use of a Styrofoam calorimeter in this experiment with
the set-up shown in Figure 1.
Thermometer

Cork Stopper
6 Test Tube
Styrofoam Ball

Figure 1. The Styrofoam calorimeter set-up

It is an adiabatic system wherein heat exchange is limited only between the calorimeter and
its content. This means that the heat exchange of the system (qadiabatic sytem) is zero.

qcal+qrxn = qsystem = 0

(2)

It is important to calibrate the calorimeter first before determining the enthalpy change of
different reactions to obtain its heat capacity (Ccal) using a reaction between a strong acid and a
strong base.3 The following equations will be used in the calibration of the calorimeter:
H+(aq)+OH-(aq)H2O(l)

H=-55.85 kJ/mol

(3)

qcal=CcalT

(4)

qrxn=nHrxn

(5)

qcal=-qrxn

(6)

In the experiment, changes in enthalpy of various reactions are determined by running

them in the calorimeter with the heat capacity of the calorimeter obtained.
The specific heat of a metal (cmetal) can also be measured using calorimetry using the
following equations:
qmetal+qcal=qsystem=0

(7)

qmetal=mmetalcmetal(Tf=Ti,metal)

(8)

qcalqwater=mwatercwater(Tf-Ti,water)
cmetal=

[(

)(
[

)(
(

(9)
)]

)]

(10)

Reference:
Petrucci, R.;Herring, F.; Madura , J.; Bissonette, C. General chemistry: principles and modern
applications, 10th ed.; Pearson Canada: Toronto, ON., 2011; p 248.
Silberberg, M. Principles of general chemistry, 2nd ed.; McGraw-Hill: NY., 2010; p 196.
Pena, M. Chemistry 17 Laboratory Manual; University of the Philippines: Diliman, QC, 2014; pp 1-2.