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Calorimeter Advantages

Calorimetry is a quantitative measurement of the heat required or made during a chemical reaction. When heat is transferred to an object, the temperature of the object increases, and when heat is removed, the temperature of the object decreases. A calorimeter is the instrument in which the chemical reaction or physical process takes place. It is well-insulated so that no heat can enter or leave the device, in order for the measurement to be accurate.

  1. Introduction

    • Basic calorimeters used in introductory chemistry laboratories consist of a double Styrofoam cup and a well-fitting plastic top. The top has a hole for a thermometer to actually measure the temperature of the heat released or absorbed in the chemical reaction. According to research at Dartmouth College, these type of calorimeters determine the heat of a reaction at constant atmospheric pressure.

    Function

    • In order for the experiment to provide accurate results, the calorimeter should be completely dry and the volumes of solutions should be carefully measured. The change in temperature is determined by measuring initial temperature of the reactant and the maximum temperature of the resultant content.

    Features

    • Because the heat given off in an exothermic process will be the same as the heat gained by the calorimeter, exothermic processes carried out inside a calorimeter result in an increase of the calorimeter temperature. On the other hand, because the heat absorbed in an endothermic process is the same as the heat lost by the calorimeter, endothermic processes carried out inside a calorimeter result in a decrease of the calorimeter temperature.

    Heat Capacity

    • Calorimeters can also be used to find heat capacity or the heat required to change the temperature of a substance one degree, according to the chemistry department at Davidson College. It is often desirable to know the heat capacity of the calorimeter itself rather than the heat capacity of the whole calorimetry system (meaning the calorimeter and water).

    Considerations

    • Besides the advantages of being able to measure the quantity of heat exchanges in a chemical reaction and the heat capacity of the system, calorimeters can also be used to determine the energy content of foods. According to Georgia State University researchers, calorimeters measure energy content by burning the foods in an oxygen atmosphere and measuring the energy yield in terms of the increase in temperature of the calorimeter. Calorimeters can also be used to measure the specific heat of a substance. Specific heat is the amount of heat-per-unit mass required to raise the temperature one degree Celsius.

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