Calorimetry
Measure heat by mixing substances and tracking temperature.
About this topic
Calorimetry measures heat by tracking temperature changes in an insulated container. When a hot metal is dropped in cool water, heat lost by the metal equals heat gained by the water: m₁c₁(T₁ − T_f) = m₂c₂(T_f − T₂).
This lets you find an unknown specific heat or the energy content of foods and fuels. The container is usually a polystyrene cup or a copper vessel with a lid and stirrer to ensure even temperature. A bomb calorimeter burns a sample in oxygen inside a sealed steel chamber to measure energy released. Food labels in Calories are in fact kilocalories, about 4184 J each.
Worked example: a 0.20 kg metal at 100 °C goes into 0.50 kg of water at 20 °C and the final temperature is 25 °C. Heat gained by water is 0.5 × 4180 × 5 = 10,450 J. So c_metal = 10,450 / (0.2 × 75) ≈ 700 J/kg·°C.
Real experiments lose some heat to the surroundings, so measured values are slightly off; lids, insulation and quick transfer reduce the error. A common mistake is subtracting temperatures in the wrong order, giving negative heat. Remember that the final temperature is shared by everything that has reached equilibrium, so use one T_f for all.
Key ideas
- Heat lost = heat gained
- Use Q = mcΔT
- Insulation reduces losses
Quick check
Use cases: where Calorimetry helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Calorimetry before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Calorimetry without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Calorimetry changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Calorimetry in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
The same laws describe car crashes, sports, satellites and everyday machines.
Frequently asked questions
What is Calorimetry?
Measure heat by mixing substances and tracking temperature.
What will I learn in Calorimetry?
Heat lost = heat gained. Use Q = mcΔT. Insulation reduces losses.
Is Calorimetry part of Physics?
Yes. It is one of 150 Physics topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Calorimetry lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Calorimetry?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.