COOLING CURVES OF STEARIC ACID AND PARAFFIN WAX
INTRODUCTION
The cooling curve measures how quickly a substance falls in temperature with time. This is a
way of calculating how pure a substance is. This is calculated by plotting and analyzing the
shape of the graph which precisely shows the melting and cooling point of the substances.
AIMS
The aim of this practice is to determine the cooling curves of various substances, in this
practical paraffin wax and stearic acid. After collecting the data, this data has allowed for
calculations to draw conclusions. The data obtained allowed for analysis and comparison
between the two substances. In order for the results to be concordant, calibration of the
thermometer was done. This practical indicates how pure substances e.g. water are used on
a daily basis. This is due to the fact that there are oceans that are contaminated by oil
spillages therefore in this time period, there is pollution that could harm people and living
habits in the environment. The method to show how pure the substances are is to calculate
them through a cooling curve.
CHOOSING A THERMOMETER
In the experiment, the thermometer is calibrated to 0°C by cooling it with ice water in a
beaker. This is to show the initial calculations of the temperature of both the substances
(stearic acid and paraffin wax) to view the differences between that and the final
calculations.
CALIBRATION TABLE
TESTS BEFORE CALIBRATION
1 100°C
2 100°C
Before calibration, the temperature is stationary (100°C), to make it more accurate the
thermometer is standardized (calibrated) to 0°C. This is to make sure the reading is much
more accurate and easy to distinguish without further confusion when doing the calculations
of Stearic acid and Paraffin wax. Below is what’s read after calibrating the temperature for
both substances.
TESTS DURING CALIBRATION
1 0°C
2 0°C
If I were to use a digital thermometer, it would be calibrated by accessing the calibration
mode.
INTRODUCTION
The cooling curve measures how quickly a substance falls in temperature with time. This is a
way of calculating how pure a substance is. This is calculated by plotting and analyzing the
shape of the graph which precisely shows the melting and cooling point of the substances.
AIMS
The aim of this practice is to determine the cooling curves of various substances, in this
practical paraffin wax and stearic acid. After collecting the data, this data has allowed for
calculations to draw conclusions. The data obtained allowed for analysis and comparison
between the two substances. In order for the results to be concordant, calibration of the
thermometer was done. This practical indicates how pure substances e.g. water are used on
a daily basis. This is due to the fact that there are oceans that are contaminated by oil
spillages therefore in this time period, there is pollution that could harm people and living
habits in the environment. The method to show how pure the substances are is to calculate
them through a cooling curve.
CHOOSING A THERMOMETER
In the experiment, the thermometer is calibrated to 0°C by cooling it with ice water in a
beaker. This is to show the initial calculations of the temperature of both the substances
(stearic acid and paraffin wax) to view the differences between that and the final
calculations.
CALIBRATION TABLE
TESTS BEFORE CALIBRATION
1 100°C
2 100°C
Before calibration, the temperature is stationary (100°C), to make it more accurate the
thermometer is standardized (calibrated) to 0°C. This is to make sure the reading is much
more accurate and easy to distinguish without further confusion when doing the calculations
of Stearic acid and Paraffin wax. Below is what’s read after calibrating the temperature for
both substances.
TESTS DURING CALIBRATION
1 0°C
2 0°C
If I were to use a digital thermometer, it would be calibrated by accessing the calibration
mode.
