calorimeter

Examples of calorimeter in the following topics:

• Constant-Volume Calorimetry

  • Constant-volume calorimeters, such as bomb calorimeters, are used to measure the heat of combustion of a reaction.
  • A bomb calorimeter is a type of constant-volume calorimeter used to measure a particular reaction's heat of combustion.
  • Keep in mind that the heat gained by the calorimeter is the sum of the heat gained by the water, as well as the calorimeter itself.
  • Since the volume is constant for a bomb calorimeter, there is no pressure-volume work.
  • The calorimeter is filled with fluid, usually water, and insulated by means of a jacket.

• Solving Problems with Calorimetry

  • They range from simple coffee cup calorimeters used by introductory chemistry students to sophisticated bomb calorimeters used to determine the energy content of food.
  • To do so, the heat is exchanged with a calibrated object (calorimeter).
  • Bomb calorimeters require calibration to determine the heat capacity of the calorimeter and ensure accurate results.
  • This is the picture of a typical setup of bomb calorimeter.
  • Explain a bomb calorimeter is used to measure heat evolved in a combustion reaction

• Calorimetry

  • Calorimetry is performed with a calorimeter.
  • A simple calorimeter just consists of a thermometer attached to a metal container full of water suspended above a combustion chamber.
  • This involves the use of a constant-volume calorimeter (one type is called a Bomb calorimeter).
  • In addition, the object placed inside the calorimeter shows that the objects transferred their heat to the calorimeter and into the liquid, and the heat absorbed by the calorimeter and the liquid is equal to the heat given off by the metals.
  • The measurement of heat using a simple calorimeter, like the coffee cup calorimeter, is an example of constant-pressure calorimetry, since the pressure (atmospheric pressure) remains constant during the process.

• Constant-Pressure Calorimetry

  • A constant-pressure calorimeter measures the change in enthalpy of a reaction at constant pressure.
  • A constant-pressure calorimeter measures the change in enthalpy of a reaction occurring in a liquid solution.
  • A simple example of a constant-pressure calorimeter is a coffee-cup calorimeter, which is constructed from two nested Styrofoam cups and a lid with two holes, which allows for the insertion of a thermometer and a stirring rod.
  • After thermal equilibrium has been established, the final temperature of the water in the calorimeter is 26.0$^\circ$C.
  • A styrofoam cup with an inserted thermometer can be used as a calorimeter, in order to measure the change in enthalpy/heat of reaction at constant pressure.

• Radiation Detection

  • Modern detectors are also used as calorimeters to measure the energy of detected radiation.

• Human Metabolism

  • This energy is measured by burning food in a calorimeter, which is how the units are determined.