Constant-Volume Calorimetry Video Lessons

Concept: Heat of Combustion

# Problem: The combustion of 1 mole of glucose C6H12O6 releases 2.82×103 kJ of heat. If 1.25 g of glucose are burnt in a calorimeter containing 0.95 kg of water and the temperature of the entire system raises from 20.10 °C to 23.25 °C. What is the heat capacity of the calorimeter?

###### FREE Expert Solution

We’re being asked to calculate the heat capacity of the calorimeter. This is given by the equation:

$\overline{){{\mathbf{q}}}_{{\mathbf{rxn}}}{\mathbf{=}}{{\mathbf{q}}}_{{\mathbf{calorimeter}}}{\mathbf{+}}{{\mathbf{q}}}_{{\mathbf{solution}}}}$

where qcalorimeter = heat absorbed by the calorimeter and qsolution = heat absorbed by the water in the calorimeter.

Expanding this, we have:

${\mathbf{q}}_{\mathbf{rxn}}\mathbf{=}{\mathbf{C}}_{\mathbf{cal}}\mathbf{∆}\mathbf{T}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{mc}\mathbf{∆}\mathbf{T}$

where

Ccal = heat capacity of the calorimeter
m = mass of water (in grams)
c = specific heat capacity of water
ΔT = change in temperature = final T – initial T.

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###### Problem Details

The combustion of 1 mole of glucose C6H12O6 releases 2.82×103 kJ of heat. If 1.25 g of glucose are burnt in a calorimeter containing 0.95 kg of water and the temperature of the entire system raises from 20.10 °C to 23.25 °C. What is the heat capacity of the calorimeter?