Question

Briefly describe, how will you determine the specific latent heat of fusion of ice and what observation will you need?

Answer 1

The explanation for the observation

1. Weight a clean and dry calorimeter with a stirrer.
2. Fill the two-thirds of the calorimeter with water and weighed them.
3. Note the initial temperature.
4. Add some ice into the calorimeter.
5. The calorimeter is placed inside a box.
6. Stir until the ice completely melts.
7. Note the final temperature.
8. Weight the calorimeter and ice.

Calculation of the latent heat of fusion

The specific latent heat of fusion of ice is given by:

$\mathrm{L}=\frac{{\mathrm{m}}_1{\mathrm{s}}_1\left({\mathrm{t}}_1-{\mathrm{t}}_2\right)+\left({\mathrm{m}}_2-{\mathrm{m}}_1\right){\mathrm{s}}_2\left({\mathrm{t}}_2-{\mathrm{t}}_1\right)-\left({\mathrm{m}}_3-{\mathrm{m}}_2\right){\mathrm{s}}_2\left({\mathrm{t}}_2-\mathrm{t}\right)}{\left({\mathrm{m}}_3-{\mathrm{m}}_2\right)}$

where,

Mass of the calorimeter and stirrer = ${\mathrm{m}}_1$

Mass of the calorimeter and water = ${\mathrm{m}}_2$

Mass of the calorimeter, water and ice = ${\mathrm{m}}_3$

Initial temperature = ${{\mathrm{t}}_1}^{\circ }\mathrm{C}$

Final temperature = ${{\mathrm{t}}_2}^{\circ }\mathrm{C}$

Temperature of ice = ${\mathrm{t}}^{\circ }\mathrm{C}$

Specific latent heat of fusion of ice = $\mathrm{L}$

Specific heat of the calorimeter = ${\mathrm{s}}_1$

Specific heat of the water = ${\mathrm{s}}_2$