Question

Naphthalene combustion can be used to calibrate the heat capacity of a bomb calorimeter. The heat of combustion of naphthalene is -40.1 kJ/g. When 0.8210 g of naphthalene was burned in a calorimeter containing 1,000. g of water, a temperature rise of 4.21°C was observed. What is the heat capacity of the bomb calorimeter excluding the water?

Answer 1

40,100 J/g x 0.8210 g = q
q = [mass H2O x specific heat H2O x delta T] + Ccal x delta T.
Solve for Ccal.