Heats of Combustion of Alcohol
Mark Wong 11N
Aim:
To find a pattern in the heat of combustion of number of fuels.
Apparatus:
- Clamp Stand
- Copper Can
- Thermometer
- 6 different alcohols - methanol, ethanol, propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol, pentan-1-ol and hexan-1-ol
- Matches
- Heat proof mat
- Aluminum foil
- Rubber band
- 100ml of water – for each alcohol
- Measuring cylinder
- Measuring scale
Diagram:
Method:
- Collect and set up equipment as shown in diagram
- Collect the first alcohol on the list (methanol)
- Measure water to 100ml and pour into copper can
- Measure temperature of water and record on a table
- Measure whole weight of the alcohol excluding the cap of the bottle of alcohol and record the weight
- Light the alcohol with a match and stir the water inside repeatedly
- Stop experiment after the temperature has increased by 300c
- Reweigh the mass of the alcohol and record
- Repeat the test 3 times for a fair and meaningful result
10.Repeat the experiment with all the other alcohols
Variables/Fair Test:
In order to obtain a fair test the following will be done
- Use a measuring cylinder to measure 100ml of water]
- Use a measuring scale to measure the mass of each alcohol (excluding the cap provided with the bottle)
- Make sure each alcohol is experimented 3 times so that an average can be calculated for a more meaningful result
- Follow the order of alcohol according to the list (the order of the structures of the alcohols)
- Make sure the aluminum foil is covering the flame of the fuel as much as it can without being burnt
- Make sure each experiment is ended immediately when the temperature of the water rises up by 300c
- Make sure for each experiment the bottom part of the copper can is always 8cm above the flame of the burning fuel