Question

How will you determine the specific heat capacity of a liquid like olive oil by the method of mixtures?

Answer 1

In this case we take a solid of known specific heat capacity. Then follow this procedure:
(1)The solid in the form of small piece, is first weighed and is then heated by suspending it by a
thread in a beaker containing boiling water.
(2)While the solid is getting heated, the empty dry calorimeter with the stirrer is weighed. The
calorimeter is then filled nearly one third with olive oil and is weighed again. The difference in
the two reading gives the mass of olive oil taken.
(3)The initial temperature of olive oil in the calorimeter is noted with a thermometer.
(4)When the solid has attained the steady temperature, its temperature is recorded by the
thermometer kept in boiling water.
(5)The solid is then gently dropped into the calorimeter carefully without splashing out the olive
oil.

(6)The contents of the calorimeter are well stirred and the final highest temperature reached is
noted.
Then specific heat capacity of olive oil (c_L) can be calculated by the formula:

`C_L =( mc (T_2 - T) - m_1 c_c ( T - T _1))/((m_2 - m_1) (T - T_1))  JKg ^-1K^-1`

where, mass of solid = m kg.
Mass of calorimeter = m₁ kg.
Mass of calorimeter + olive oil = m₂ Kg
Initial temperature of olive oil = T_1 °C
Temperature of heated solid = T_2 °C
Temperature of mixture = T _°C
c is the specific heat capacity of solid
c_c is the specific heat capacity of material of the calorimeter.