This is part of the HSC Chemistry course under the topic of Reactions of Alcohols. In this post, we conduct a practical investigation to measure and reliably compare the enthalpy of combustion for a range of alcohols.
Enthalpy of Combustion
A video about the enthalpy of combustion for alcohol and how you can calculate it.
Practical Investigation
A video about a practical investigation conducted to measure and reliably compare the enthalpy of combustion for a range of alcohols.
Additional Information
The enthalpy of combustion is the energy change that occurs when a substance is burned in air or oxygen. It is typically measured in units of heat, such as joules or calories. For alcohols, the enthalpy of combustion can be calculated by burning a specific amount of the alcohol in a bomb calorimeter, and measuring the heat change that occurs.
It can be used to compare the energy content of the different alcohols. Generally, the higher the enthalpy of combustion for an alcohol, the more energy is released when it is burned. This can be used to compare the efficiency of different fuels, and to determine the best fuel to use in a given situation.
It’s important to note that the enthalpy of combustion is a standard state value, which means that it is measured at a specific temperature and pressure (usually 25°C and 1 atm). To compare enthalpy of combustion values it is important to ensure that the conditions are the same.
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