Summary
Highlights
To begin, tare a test tube and add 10-15 grams of your metal sample. Place the test tube in a 400ml beaker filled with water, ensuring the water level is above the metal. Heat the setup on a hot plate at level 7-8 until the water boils. Balance the test tube just above the bottom of the beaker if possible. Boil for five minutes to ensure the metal is thoroughly heated.
Set up the coffee cup calorimeter. Use a graduated cylinder to add distilled water. The amount of water chosen should be sufficient to submerge the bottom of the thermometer without it touching the cup's bottom. Record this volume. Allow the water in the calorimeter to reach a constant temperature and record it.
Keep the metal sample close to the calorimeter for a quick transfer. Remove the test tube from the boiling water and quickly transfer the metal into the coffee cup calorimeter. Avoid splashing water and breaking the thermometer. Swirl the calorimeter with a stirring rod and record the maximum temperature reached.
Repeat the trial at least one more time. Calculate the specific heat of your metal sample and compare it to values in the lab manual. If the identification is not convincing, repeat the experiment a third time.