Calibration Experiment
Charley McClellan
Group L
Pass
This is a report in the analysis and evaluation of calibrating equipment to study cooling
curves, written by Charley McClellan, a technical assistant at Chemcalequip.
In our brief we got assigned, it states to check “the calibration of a digital and liquid
thermometer before use.” When we did calibration in our laboratory at Chemcalequip, we
only used a liquid thermometer and so this report is only on the calibration of a liquid
thermometer.
The aim
The aim of this experiment was to determine the suitability of the measuring device. Within
this assignment, part of the brief was too be able to calibrate equipment. Calibration involves
“measuring changes of state, phase and chemical reactions in terms of the associated heat
transferred.” 1 A calorimeter is a piece of equipment e.g A glass beaker or a polystyrene cup
that can be used with a thermometer to measure the temperature during a reaction.
The purpose of calibration is to ensure that thermometers are accurately recording the
correct temperature. We calibrated the thermometer twice by putting it into a beaker of iced
water and then a beaker of boiling water. The thermometer should read at 0℃ in ice water
and 100℃ in the beaker of boiling water.
Equipment used
● Polystrene cup
● Deionised water
● 2 x beakers
● Distilled water
● Ice cubes
● Glass stirring rod
● Bunsen burner
● Gauze
● Heat proof mat
● Tripod
● Tongs
● Liquid filled thermometer (alcohol)
Method for Iced Water
1. Fill the beaker with ice and top up with cold tap water
2. Stir with a glass rod and allow to stand for approximately 3 minutes
3. Place the thermometer into the beaker
1 Pearsons BTEC National Applied Science Student Book One
Charley McClellan
Group L
Pass
This is a report in the analysis and evaluation of calibrating equipment to study cooling
curves, written by Charley McClellan, a technical assistant at Chemcalequip.
In our brief we got assigned, it states to check “the calibration of a digital and liquid
thermometer before use.” When we did calibration in our laboratory at Chemcalequip, we
only used a liquid thermometer and so this report is only on the calibration of a liquid
thermometer.
The aim
The aim of this experiment was to determine the suitability of the measuring device. Within
this assignment, part of the brief was too be able to calibrate equipment. Calibration involves
“measuring changes of state, phase and chemical reactions in terms of the associated heat
transferred.” 1 A calorimeter is a piece of equipment e.g A glass beaker or a polystyrene cup
that can be used with a thermometer to measure the temperature during a reaction.
The purpose of calibration is to ensure that thermometers are accurately recording the
correct temperature. We calibrated the thermometer twice by putting it into a beaker of iced
water and then a beaker of boiling water. The thermometer should read at 0℃ in ice water
and 100℃ in the beaker of boiling water.
Equipment used
● Polystrene cup
● Deionised water
● 2 x beakers
● Distilled water
● Ice cubes
● Glass stirring rod
● Bunsen burner
● Gauze
● Heat proof mat
● Tripod
● Tongs
● Liquid filled thermometer (alcohol)
Method for Iced Water
1. Fill the beaker with ice and top up with cold tap water
2. Stir with a glass rod and allow to stand for approximately 3 minutes
3. Place the thermometer into the beaker
1 Pearsons BTEC National Applied Science Student Book One
