A proposed experiment to determine

the specific heat of a ceramic material.

ME 321-03
Team 4:
Joe Kaltenthaler
Joey Arthur
Andrew Niemann
Zach Lehman

An experiment using an insulated vessel with a mass of

liquid and solid material at different temperatures is
designed to find a specific heat, , of the solid.
1,
Heated in water for
1, then submerged
in liquid at 1,
1,
2,

Insulated
Dewar flask

The design problem is to select values for

, , , 2, to ultimately determine:

the specific heat, , within a value range of 0.7 to 1.0

an uncertainty for of 10%
the expense and practicality of the design
a simple experimental procedure

The experimental procedure is outlined in the schematic

below.

1,

1,
2,

The specific heat of a solid is determined by the heat

transferred between the solid and fluid.
This ratio yields the DRE:

Where = (1, 2, ) and = (2, 1, )

Relative uncertainty targets were determined by

developing the uncertainty magnification factor form of
the DRE.

=(

2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
) (
) +(
) (
) +(
) (
) +(
) (
) +(
) (
) +(
)

UMF

UMF

UMF

UMF

UMF

All UMFs are 1. All relative uncertainties have the same bounds.
2

= 6( )2

0.1

= 6(

2
)

= 4.082%

This percentage is a target value for random uncertainty and each measurands relative uncertainty

The mass of the liquid and the solid were limited by the
size of the Dewar flask and scale uncertainty.
2
2 = 2

, + ,

Acculab vic-612 Scale

Values (g)

Rated Input

610

Accuracy

0.005

Resolution

0.01

Readability

0.005
= 0.0141

3.5%

0.45

The mass of the liquid and the solid were limited by the
size of the Dewar flask and scale uncertainty.
Max Dewar Volume = 350 mL
Assuming = 2.5

and = 1.0

=

+
350

The mass of the liquid and the solid were limited by the
size of the Dewar flask and scale uncertainty.
A useful value for this experiment is the ratio of liquid and solid masses
350

0.4

The lower limit of this ratio is dependent upon the amount of water
(liquid) needed to completely submerge the solid object.

The minimum mass ratio to ensure that the solid is

submerged is dependent on the solids geometry.
Sample

Sample Mass (g)

Liquid Mass to
Submerge (g)

Mass Ratio (l/s)

10.45

40

3.83

2*

14.87

169

11.37

16.84

55

3.27

Average

14.05

88

6.26

The size of the Dewar requires small solid objects to ensure they are fully
submerged.
Assuming the pieces are small ( 14 and smaller than Dewar diameter)
then the minimum mass ratio is 4*.

The minimum and maximum masses are determined by

the limits of the mass ratios and the uncertainty in mass.
Since the mass ratio is a minimum of 4, the solid mass is the minimum determined by
uncertainty in measurement but the minimum liquid is not.
0.45

1.8

The geometric constraint for the solid is based on the diameter of the Dewar. This coupled
with the maximum volume of the Dewar determines the maximum solid volume.
14

350

0.4

350

14

0.4 24.6

Therefore,
344.4
.

. .

The liquid temperature difference is limited by the

uncertainty and the range of the thermometer.

3.5%

2 2
2 2
2
=(
) (1 , +1 , ) + (
) (2 , +22 , )
1
2

Omega ASTM 3964C Thermometer

Range

Values (C)
25 to 55

Accuracy

0.05

Resolution

0.1

Readability

0.05

= 0.1

The liquid temperature difference is limited by the

uncertainty and the range of the thermometer.
2.86
From the Thermometer Range:
= 25 and = 55
Therefore,
2.86 30.0
This is true for both the solid and liquid if the accurate, Omega ASTM
thermometer is utilized.

The solid temperature difference is limited by the

uncertainty and the range of the thermometer.

3.5%

2 2
2 2
2
=(
) (1 , +1 , ) + (
) (2 , +22 , )
1
2

Enviro-Safe Thermometer

Values (C)

Range

-20 to 110

Accuracy

0.5

Resolution

Readability

0.5

= 0.711

The thermometers lower limit and the practical limit of

the boiling point of water determine the range of solid
temperatures.
20.31
, = 25 and , = 100
Therefore,
20.31 75.0
This is true for the solid if the accurate, Omega ASTM thermometer is utilized for
the equilibrium temperature (2, ) and the Enviro-Safe thermometer measures
the elevated temperature (1, )

A design space was developed based on sensor and

relative uncertainty constraints.
12

mL/mS (-)

10
Using 5%
relative
uncertainty in
TL

TL=2C at Max CS

Design Point
(72.5, 6)
TL=2.5C

6
4
2

TL,max=3.14C at Min CS

0
0

20

40
TS (C)

60

80

Our experimental design can effectively determine

within a 10% uncertainty.
Parameter

Representative
Value

Systematic
Uncertainty

Relative
Uncertainty
(%)

UMF

RSSC
(%)

UPC (%)

2.5

0.1

54.7

()

()

3.5

3.5

41.9

72.5

0.711

0.980

0.980

3.29

()

10

0.0141

0.141

0.141

0.0684

()

60

0.0141

0.0235

0.0235

0.00189

5.41

100

4.179

Expected value: 0.87

The design utilizes simple, practical components.

Omega ASTM 64C Thermometer

Enviro-Safe (-20 to 100) Thermometer

Acculab vic-612 Scale
Pope 8600/0099 350mL Dewar
Simple Hot Plate
Large Beaker

Stir Rod

In conclusion, the proposed experimental design

successfully:
Measures the specific heat of a solid piece of ceramic between 0.7 and 1.0

Measures the specific heat of a solid piece of ceramic with a relative uncertainty below
10%.
Utilizes practical measurement devices at a relatively low cost to the experimental team.

Follows a simple experimental procedure.

Backup Slide Menu

Alternate
Temperature
Sensor

UMF Derivation

CL Temperature
Model

CL Uncertainty

DRE Derivation

CDewar
Discussion

Detailed
Procedure

, Limit
Derivation

An infrared heat gun introduces large uncertainty when

measuring solid temperatures in the applicable
temperature range.
Extech Model 42560

Values

Range

50 1050

Resolution

0.1

Readability

0.05

Accuracy

1.5% + 2

At , = 75 where the readings are 1, = 100 and 2, = 25

2

0.015 100 + 2

+ 0.05

0.015 25 + 2

= 4.23
4.23
=
= 5.64%

75

+ 0.05

UMF derivations

UMF derivations

A model exists to calculate specific heat of water at

varying temperatures.
(15)

= 4.1855

*International Committee for Weights and Measures (Paris 1950)

+ 100
= 0.996185 + 0.0002874
100

5.26

+ 0.011160 100.036 (15)

Source: CODATA Key Values for Thermodynamics, Cox, Wagman, and Medvedev

The uncertainty for liquid specific heat is negligible.

4.21

CL (J/(gC)

4.2

UPC=0.001%

For a large range, CL

changes little with
changing temperature

4.19

4.18

4.17

4.16
20

25

30

35

Temperature (C)

40

45

50

Our experimental procedure is easy to follow and

utilizes accurate measuring devices.
1) Obtain the mass of a ceramic chip using the Acculab vic-612 Scale
2) Zero a beaker on the scale and add deionized water until the mass measurement is equal to the
mass of the solid multiplied by the mass ratio.
3) Heat the beaker of water on hot plate or cool in ice bath until the temperature on the OMEGA
thermometer reads 25C. Stir well with stir rod.

4) Place water in dry Dewar flask.

5) Heat large beaker of water to boil and add solid ceramic piece. Let sit 10 minutes so ceramic
reaches equilibrium with water. Record 1, with the Enviro-safe thermometer. Stir well
throughout.
6) Carefully, add solid to Dewar. After considerable time (5~10 minutes) and constant stirring
record final temperature 2,

The DRE is a simple variation of the exchange of energy

between two substances.
Energy contained in a material:
= =
From the conservation of energy:
= + + ( ) +
There is no work, heat transfer, or net energy change of the system so:
=
=

Solving for the specific heat of the solid

=

The specific heat of the Dewar could be a contributing

factor in the experiment
Like the liquid, the Dewar can absorb energy as well:

= +
= +
The new DRE becomes:

=
+


Since specific heats are material properties, the Dewar itself could impact the
temperature changes and the determination of .

The specific heat of the Dewar could be a contributing

factor in the experiment
Since the Dewar is glass:

= 0.84

This is in the same range as the specific heat of the ceramic solid in question.
However, since the heat cannot propagate throughout the whole Dewar, the mass contacting the

water is small.
Therefore,

Is negligible as both and are small.

The DRE was utilized to identify the , value

corresponding to our Design Space.
Given that our mass ratio was bounded by 4 and a , of 75 C we can solve for the

minimum allowable , . Using the minimum value of 0.7

,
, =
(1, =25)
Also given the Cox, Wagman, and Medvedev relationship at T1,L=25 C
, =

0.7

1
4

(75)

(4.1793)

= 3.14C