Calorimetry & Enthalpy Lab

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How to use this lab

Choose an experiment, set the initial conditions, and measure how energy moves through an insulated calorimeter.

Measure a temperature change and apply q = mcΔT.

  1. Choose an experiment. Drop a heated metal into water, or mix strong HCl and NaOH solutions.
  2. Set the conditions. For metals, choose the material, mass and temperatures. For neutralization, choose each solution’s volume and concentration.
  3. Start and observe. Follow the thermometer and temperature trace until thermal equilibrium is reached at 40 simulated seconds.
  4. Calculate and compare. Use q = mcΔT and the energy balance to find specific heat or molar enthalpy. Change a setting to reset, then compare a new run. Pause or go directly to the final reading; complete your calculation before revealing the worked solution.
Try unequal reactant amounts

Mix 50 mL of 1 M HCl with 100 mL of 1 M NaOH. The acid limits water formation to 0.050 mol; compare the temperature rise with equal volumes.

Download your data as CSV or print the lab. This idealized model uses accelerated time for learning.

02 / FOLLOW THE ENERGY

Your calorimeter

22.00 °C
INSULATED COFFEE-CUP CALORIMETERq = mcΔT

Heat flows from the hot metal into the water.

03 / TEMPERATURE VS. TIME

0.0 simulated s

Set up an experiment, then start the run.

04 / CONNECT THE EVIDENCE

Your energy balance

Read the temperatures first, then calculate. Use ΔT = final − initial; a decrease gives negative q.

The measured result and calculation appear when the temperatures stabilize.
Investigate & understand the model

For metals: qwater = −qmetal, so cmetal = mwater × 4.184 × (Tf − Twater) / [mmetal × (Tmetal − Tf)]. Double the metal mass and compare ΔT.

For neutralization: H⁺ + OH⁻ → H₂O. qsolution = m × 4.184 × ΔT; ΔH = −qsolution / mol H₂O formed. Try unequal reactant amounts to find the limiting reagent.

Ideal insulated calorimeter with negligible cup heat capacity, no evaporation, perfect mixing, and solution density 1.00 g/mL and specific heat 4.184 J/(g·°C). Neutralization uses −57.3 kJ/mol. Heat transfer is accelerated; the trace is illustrative.

COMPARE YOUR TRIALS

Change one variable. Keep the evidence.

Up to four completed trials stay here until reload. To compare metal masses, keep the material, initial temperatures and water mass the same.

Completed trials · temperatures in °C
Trial / setupInitial water / solutionFinalΔT
Complete a trial to collect evidence.

About this activity

Drop heated metals into water and mix acids with bases in a calorimeter. Track the temperature and use the energy balance to calculate specific heat and enthalpy.

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