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Determination Of Enthalpy Change Of Combustion

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Determination of enthalpy change of combustion for alcohols
Abstract
This report will explore the energy release (or enthalpy change) when four different alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol) were burned. When these alcohols are burned, the chemical energy in their bonds is transferred into kinetic and thermal energy by heating water in a beaker. The rise in temperature of the water allows us to calculate the enthalpy change when each alcohol is burned in KJ mol-1.
Introduction
Energy is defined as the ability to do work and is measured in joules (J). It cannot be created or destroyed but can be transferred between objects and transformed from one form to another. There are many types of energy:
• Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its movement. The amount of energy depends on the objects mass and speed. Some examples of objects with kinetic energy are bullets from a gun or a moving car. To work out the kinetic energy of a moving object the following equation is used: Kinetic energy = 1/2 (mass x velocity2)
Potential energy is the energy stored in an object as a result of its position. There are two types of potential energy: gravitational and elastic. Gravitational potential energy is energy stored as a result of an objects vertical position. An object above the earth’s surface has gravitational potential energy for example a bird or a plane. The amount of gravitational energy an object has depends on the weight and height of the

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