A laboratory procedure instructs students to determine the specific heat capacity of…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Thermal Properties of Matter · Thermal Properties of Matter
Problem
A laboratory procedure instructs students to determine the specific heat capacity of a metal sample by transferring the hot metal into cooler water inside a Styrofoam cup. Consider each experimental scenario below.
(a) During transfer, a few droplets of hot water that had been adhering to the metal fall into the calorimeter along with the metal. Explain qualitatively whether this error causes the calculated specific heat capacity of the metal to be higher, lower, or unchanged, and justify your answer.
(b) If heat were inadvertently lost to the surrounding air despite insulation, describe how this loss would manifest in the measured temperature change, and predict the effect on the calculated specific heat capacity.
(c) Propose one procedural modification that would improve the accuracy of the calorimetric measurement and explain the principle behind its effectiveness.