CALORIMETRY

• What is a Calorimeter and how is it used?


  A calorimeter is a machine used in the process of calorimetry. Small samples of material are placed in the machine which burns them. The energy given off when the material burns is measured.
• Calorimeters are often used in the food industry to measure the energy in food. This value is given in joules or calories in the nutritional information panel on the food packaging.
• The simplest calorimeter can be made by arranging a beaker of water above a burning sample. The change in temperature of the water is a direct measure of the energy held within the sample.
• In a Calorimeter, the stirrer distributes heat evenly in the water. The calorimeter has a lid to prevent the loss of heat. The thermometer is to measure the change in temperature from the water which is then multiplied by the mass of water and 4.2 to give you the energy (J) of the sample.