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Calorimetry

Class 10 Physics • Chapter 11 (Deep Detail)

1. Heat Capacity

Heat Capacity ($C'$): Amount of heat required to raise the temperature of the whole body by 1°C (or 1 K).

$C' = m \times c$. Unit: J/K.

SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY (c)

Amount of heat required to raise the temperature of unit mass (1 kg) of a substance by 1°C.

$$ Q = m c \Delta T $$

Unit: J kg$^{-1}$ K$^{-1}$.

Note: Water has very high specific heat capacity ($4200 \text{ J kg}^{-1} \text{ K}^{-1}$).

Practice Q1: Heat Calculation

NUMERICAL Calculate the heat energy required to raise the temperature of 2 kg of water from $10^\circ C$ to $50^\circ C$. ($c = 4200 \text{ J/kgK}$).

Solution:

$Q = mc \Delta T = 2 \times 4200 \times (50 - 10)$.

$Q = 8400 \times 40 = 336,000 \text{ J} = 336 \text{ kJ}$.

Practice Q2: Heat Capacity

NUMERICAL A body of mass 1.5 kg requires 4500 J of heat to raise its temperature by $10^\circ C$. Calculate its specific heat capacity.

Solution:

$c = \frac{Q}{m \Delta T} = \frac{4500}{1.5 \times 10}$

$= \frac{4500}{15} = 300 \text{ J/kgK}$.

Practice Q3: Coolant Logic

Q: Why is water used as a coolant in car radiators?

Ans: High specific heat capacity ($4200 \text{ J/kgK}$). Can absorb large heat with small temp rise.

Practice Q4: Concept Check

CONCEPTUAL Distinguish between Heat Capacity and Specific Heat Capacity.

Ans: Heat Capacity is for the whole body ($C' = mc$). Specific Heat Capacity is for unit mass ($c = C'/m$).

Consequences of high Specific Heat Capacity of Water:

2. Principle of Calorimetry

If no heat is lost to the surroundings:

$$ \text{Heat Lost by Hot Body} $$ $$ = \text{Heat Gained by Cold Body} $$

Note: This principle is also known as the Method of Mixtures.

Practice Q5: Mixing Problem

NUMERICAL 100 g of hot water at $80^\circ C$ is added to 200 g of cold water at $10^\circ C$. Find final temperature. (Neglect vessel heat).

Solution:

Let final temp be $T$.

Heat lost = $100 \times c \times (80 - T)$. Heat gained = $200 \times c \times (T - 10)$.

$100 (80-T) = 200 (T-10)$

$\implies 80 - T = 2T - 20$.

$3T = 100$

$\implies T = 33.33^\circ C$.

Practice Q6: Calorimetry Check

Q: What assumption is made in the principle of mixtures?

Ans: No heat is lost to the surroundings or the container.

Practice Q7: Water Equivalent

NUMERICAL A copper vessel of mass 100g contains 150g of water at 50°C. How much ice at 0°C is needed to cool it to 5°C? (Given $c_{Cu} = 0.4 \text{ J/gK}$, $c_{w} = 4.2 \text{ J/gK}$, $L_{ice} = 336 \text{ J/g}$).

Solution:

Heat Lost by (Water + Vessel) = $(150 \times 4.2 + 100 \times 0.4) \times (50-5)$

$= 670 \times 45 = 30150 \text{ J}$.

Heat Gained by Ice = $m \times 336 + m \times 4.2 \times (5-0) = 357m$.

$357m = 30150 \implies m = 84.45 \text{ g}$.

Practice Q8: Mixture Temp

NUMERICAL 40 g of water at 60°C is poured into a vessel containing 50 g of water at 20°C. Calculate the final temperature. (Neglect vessel).

Solution:

$40c(60-T) = 50c(T-20)$

$\implies 4(60-T) = 5(T-20)$

$\implies 240-4T = 5T-100$

$\implies 9T=340$

$\implies T=37.77^\circ C$.

3. Change of State (Latent Heat)

Heat energy absorbed or released at constant temperature during change of state.

Latent Heat of Fusion ($L_f$): Solid $\leftrightarrow$ Liquid at Melting Point. ($Q = m L_f$). For Ice: $L_f = 336 \text{ J/g} = 336000 \text{ J/kg}$.

Latent Heat of Vaporisation ($L_v$): Liquid $\leftrightarrow$ Gas at Boiling Point. ($Q = m L_v$). For Steam: $L_v = 2260 \text{ J/g}$.

Practice Q9: Ice to Water

NUMERICAL Calculate heat required to melt 500g of ice at $0^\circ C$ to water at $0^\circ C$. ($L_f = 336 \text{ J/g}$).

Solution:

$Q = m L_f = 500 \times 336$.

$Q = 168,000 \text{ J} = 168 \text{ kJ}$.

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: HEATING CURVE OF WATER]
Graph of Temperature vs Time. Show: 1. Ice warming (-10 to 0). 2. Flat line at 0 (Melting). 3. Water warming (0 to 100). 4. Flat line at 100 (Boiling). 5. Steam warming (>100).
Practice Q10: Graph Reading

GRAPH ANALYSIS In the heating curve of ice, why does the temperature remain constant during melting (Region 2)?

Ans: The heat supplied during this phase is used as Latent Heat to break the intermolecular bonds and change the state from solid to liquid, rather than increasing the kinetic energy (temperature) of the molecules.

Practice Q11: Phase Change Total

NUMERICAL Convert 100 g ice at -10°C to water at 10°C.

Solution: 1. Ice (-10 to 0): $0.1 \times 2100 \times 10 = 2100 J$. 2. Melt: $0.1 \times 336000 = 33600 J$. 3. Water (0 to 10): $0.1 \times 4200 \times 10 = 4200 J$. Total = $39900 \text{ J}$.

Practice Q12: Steam Burns

REASONING Why do steam burns feel more severe than boiling water burns?

Ans: Steam contains extra latent heat of vaporization ($2260 \text{ J/g}$).

NUMERICAL CHEAT SHEET When converting Ice at -10°C to Water at 50°C:
  1. $Q_1$: Ice (-10 to 0) = $m \times c_{ice} \times \Delta T$.
  2. $Q_2$: Melting at 0 = $m \times L_f$.
  3. $Q_3$: Water (0 to 50) = $m \times c_{water} \times \Delta T$.
  4. Total $Q = Q_1 + Q_2 + Q_3$.

Remember: $1 \text{ calorie} = 4.2 \text{ Joules}$.

Natural Phenomena (High Specific Heat of Water)

Sea Breeze & Land Breeze: Due to high specific heat capacity, water warms up and cools down slower than land. This creates pressure differences causing breezes.

Classroom Practice Questions

Question 1: Mixture

NUMERICAL 40 g of water at 60°C is poured into a vessel containing 50 g of water at 20°C. Calculate the final temperature of the mixture. (Neglect heat capacity of vessel).

Solution:

Let final temp be $T$.

Heat Lost by Hot Water = $m_1 c (60 - T) = 40 \times c \times (60 - T)$.

Heat Gained by Cold Water = $m_2 c (T - 20) = 50 \times c \times (T - 20)$.

$40c(60-T) = 50c(T-20)$.

$\implies 4(60-T) = 5(T-20)$.

$240 - 4T = 5T - 100$

$\implies 9T = 340$

$\implies T = 37.77^\circ \text{C}$.

Ans: 37.77°C.

Question 2: Phase Change

NUMERICAL Calculate the amount of heat energy required to convert 100 g of ice at $-10^\circ \text{C}$ into water at $10^\circ \text{C}$. (Given $c_{ice} = 2100 \text{ J/kgK}$, $c_{water} = 4200 \text{ J/kgK}$, $L_f = 336000 \text{ J/kg}$).

Solution:

Mass $m = 0.1 \text{ kg}$.

1. Ice (-10 to 0): $Q_1 = 0.1 \times 2100 \times 10 = 2100 \text{ J}$.

2. Melting: $Q_2 = 0.1 \times 336000 = 33600 \text{ J}$.

3. Water (0 to 10): $Q_3 = 0.1 \times 4200 \times 10 = 4200 \text{ J}$.

Total Heat $Q = 2100 + 33600 + 4200 = 39900 \text{ J}$.

Ans: 39,900 J.

Question 3: Steam Burns

REASONING Why do burns caused by steam at 100°C appear more severe than those caused by boiling water at 100°C?

Solution:

Steam at 100°C contains Latent Heat of Vaporization ($2260 \text{ J/g}$) in addition to the heat energy possessed by boiling water at the same temperature. When steam condenses on skin, it releases this massive extra heat, causing more severe burns.