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unit 2b -Investigation of Cooling Curves and Thermometer Calibration Using Paraffin Wax and Stearic Acid

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This assignment explores two key practical investigations: the calibration of digital and alcohol thermometers, and the analysis of cooling curves for paraffin wax and stearic acid. The thermometer calibration was conducted using ice water and boiling water to assess measurement accuracy. The cooling curve experiment involved heating and cooling 8g samples of both substances, recording temperature changes at one-minute intervals over 17 minutes. The resulting data was analyzed to identify phase transitions, calculate rates of cooling, and compare the substances’ melting points based on their molecular structures and intermolecular forces. A detailed evaluation was also provided, addressing procedural limitations, error sources, and suggestions for improving accuracy and safety in future experiments.

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Colorimetry report/cooling curves
Cooling curves graph shows the change of state of a substance cooling from a liquid to a solid

We have done two experiments calibrating thermometers and cooling curves in which stearic
acid and paraffin wax was used and the aim was to find out.
- To find out accuracy of thermometers and see which one works better
- To study the cooling curve of paraffin wax and the cooling curve of stearic acid and find
out its rate of cooling
Calibrating thermometers – two thermometers were used blue alcohol thermometer and digital
thermometer which were calibrated in frozen water and boiling water




Practical pictures for evidence

, equipment's for calibrating thermometers

- Freshly boiled water in a kettle
- Ice cubes
- Timer to calculate the temperature after each interval
- Thermometers in this case digital thermometer and blue alcohol thermometer was used
- Beakers which are 200cm cube for boiling water and iced water

Methods

Using ice water

- Pour ice into a beaker the temperature should be zero Celsius which means you need to use
cold ice
- Stir the water when ice is added and leave it for 2 to 3 minutes
- Stir the ice again and place the two thermometers inside the cold water
- Decide an interval e.g., after 1 min or 30 sec I used an interval for 1 min after 1 min the readings
were recorded and this process was repeated for 17 minutes
- After each interval use a timer in this case so the results are accurate, and the intervals are same
- After 3 minutes the reading should be zero degrees which means the thermometers have
- calibrated and this reading was recorded of results and the thermometers are offset

Using boiled water

- Using a kettle boil water
- Freshly boiled water is poured into the beaker

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Uploaded on
May 26, 2025
Number of pages
15
Written in
2023/2024
Type
Other
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Unknown

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