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Thursday, September 13, 2012

From Calcium Metal to Enthalpy

Calcium metal is a silver white metal.


 
It is a little harder than sodium metal. When it reacts with water, it would produce calcium hydroxide , hydrogen gas and a lot of heat. That is because when calcium element during losing two electrons from the atom and form lattice this process, its enthalpy change is very high.





But why the reaction is not exciting as sodium metal that is because the high melting point of calcium metal. If the calcium would melt during the reaction, the surface of calcium to contact with water would become very large, so that the reaction would become exciting.

Ca(OH)2 deposit.

However, compared with sodium,calcium has much stronger covalent bonds between each atoms, so it has higher melting point.



Let's use thermodynamics to check how calcium metal emit heat into the surrounding. 



 First, we have to write out the reaction formula and figure out the enthalpy change in the reaction.


ΔfHm                         0.0       2 x (-285.8)                             -985.2             0.0            (kJ/mloe)

=>  ΔH = (-985.2+0) - (0.0+ 2 x (-285.8))
            =   413.6  kJ/mole 



 Second, we are going to do an experiment to measure the heat transformation from the reaction.

Calcium metal weight
0.12 g
Molar of calcium
3.00 x 10-3 mole
Water weight
20.22 g
Origin temperature of water
 30.59

Theoretical ΔT of water:
ΔH = m x s x ΔT

 =>ΔT = ΔH / ( m x s)
           = (( - (-413.6 x 103 x (0.12/40.078))) / (4.186))  / (20.22 x 1)
           = 14.63
=>      T = 30.59 + 14.63
           = 45.22
 

Theoretical temperature
45.22
Measured temperature
40.32
Surrounding temperature
29.44
Lose heat
98.00 cal
Heat capacity of the beaker
2.87 cal/

Heat lose in the beaker:
(40.32 – 30.59) x (2.87)
= 27.93 cal
Energy lose in other forms(gas kinetic energy, radiation…):
98.00 – 27.93
= 70.07 cal
= 293.02 J

Total energy released
1238.32 J
Energy in heat form
945.30 J
Heat transform efficiency
76.3%

We can know not all the enthalpy change would turn into heat that is why the water is only 40.32℃ in the experiment.

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