Question

In an experiment, 4.5 kg of a fuel was completely burnt. The heat produced was measured to be 180,000 kJ. Calculate the calorific value of the fuel.

Answer 1

Step 1: Heat produced by the combustion

The calorific value of fuel is the amount of heat produced by the complete combustion of 1 kg of fuel.

Weight of fuel burnt = 4.5 kg

Heat produced by 4.5 kg of fuel = 180,000 kJ.

Step 2: Finding the calorific value of the fuel

$\mathrm{Calorific}\mathrm{value}=\frac{\mathrm{Amount}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{heat}\mathrm{produced}}{\mathrm{Weight}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{fuel}\mathrm{burnt}}$

$\mathrm{Calorific}\mathrm{value}=\frac{180000\mathrm{kJ}}{4.5\mathrm{kg}}$

$=40,000\mathrm{kJ}{\mathrm{kg}}^{-1}$

Therefore, the calorific value of the fuel burnt is $40,000\mathrm{kJ}{\mathrm{kg}}^{-1}$