Thermochemistry and Heat Capacity
Experimentally determining the heat capacity of a solution

1. (3 pts) You are working as an analytical chemist for a company that is trying to design engine coolants that are more effective in dissipating heat than the traditional ethylene glycol coolant. A colleague gives you a solution labeled "Compound Y Solution" that she believes will have a higher heat capacity than ethylene glycol. a) Use the Virtual Lab to generate data that will allow you to determine the specific heat capacity of your coolant experimentally b) Is the heat capacity of Compound Y higher or lower than ethylene glycol’s heat capacity of 2.200 J/g °C? (The density of the Compound Y Solution is 2.78 g/ml and the heat capacity of water is 4.184 J/g °C) For this activity, we are assuming that no heat is lost to the environment, so you’ll need to "insulate" the glassware. In the Virtual Lab, right-click on a beaker or flask (Mac users: hold down the command key while clicking on the glassware). Select "Thermal Properties" from the pop-up menu that appears. That will open a dialogue box. Check the box labeled "insulated from surroundings." The temperature of the solution in that beaker or flask will remain constant. You can also use the "Thermal Properties" box to set the temperature of a solution.