An At-Home Compatible Calorimetry Experiment Using Store Bought Clinical Thermometers

Calorimetry is one of the best experiments to do in an introductory-level chemistry laboratory course, as it has high accuracy and requires relatively inexpensive materials. Like other traditional general chemistry laboratory experiments, calorimetry is not easily converted to at-home or remote experimentation. The in-lab experiment typically requires relatively inaccessible equipment, such as alcohol-based thermometers with a range of at least 20° to 110 °C, analytical balances, and either Bunsen burners or hot plates. We present a modified calorimetry experiment designed with an accessibility-first approach during remote laboratory instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The modification uses clinical thermometers, hanger balances, and microwaves to determine the specific heats of the metals. The mean of the reported specific heat values of a United States coin (penny) and steel materials in the traditional lab version differs by 0.131 and 0.179 J/g·°C, respectively, of literature values. Conversely, these values for the aforementioned materials in the remote version differ from the values in the literature by 0.158 and 0.133 J/g·°C, respectively. Despite the utilization of nonscientifically standard materials in the remote experiment, the specific heat values in lab and remote settings produce comparable results. This presents an opportunity for our accessibility designed at-home lab to be used as a prelab or make up assignment as part of an inclusive lab course.