Question

Hi, everyone! I'd really appreciate some help and explanation for this Chemistry question:

Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) reacts with acetic acid (CH3COOH) to form sodium acetate (NaCH3COO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and water (H2O). A chemist carries out this reaction in a bomb calorimeter. The reaction causes the temperature of a bomb calorimeter to decrease by 0.985 K. The calorimeter has a mass of 1.500 kg and a specific heat of 2.52 J/g K. What is the heat of reaction for this system?

What equation should I use in this case?

I've written down these notes:

Steps:

1. Calculate the mass of the solution in total.

2. Convert mass to volume or vice versa if needed.

3. Calculate the temperature change of the solution.

4. Calculate the energy released by the reaction.

Answer 1

It's the same concept, same formula.

\(\sf \huge q=m*C_p*\Delta T\)

Answer 2

Hehe, thanks for helping me again, @aaronq!

This is what I have so far:

q = 1.5 x 2.52 x .985

q = 3.78 x 0.985

q = 3.7233

q = 3.72

How does that look? (:

Answer 3

@Chlobug

That is right, just make sure it's in KJ here

Answer 4

it's almost right, the mass given was in kg, but the specific heat capacity is in grams, "J/g K". You need to convert kg to g

Answer 5

I got 3.72, but unfortunately the answer was actually -3.72. I almost had it!

Thanks for the help everyone (: