In this experiments a known mass of a combustible material and sufficient quantity of an oxidizer are taken in the bomb. The bomb is immersed in a vessel containing known mass of water. The water is stirred by rotating blades and its initial temperature (t1) is recorded.
Bomb calorimeter
The mixture taken in the bomb is ignited by passing an electric current. As the reaction takes place, chemical energy is released which is used to warm water when the temperature of water reaches a constant maximum value, the thermometer reading (t2) is noted. Thus, increase in temperature (t2 - t1) of water (surroundings) is recorded. Since mass of water (m) is known, the specific heat capacity (S) of water is noted from literature and the increase of temperature (Δt = t2 - t1) is recorded in the experiment, the energy change in the reaction is calculated as heat appearing in the surroundings
q = m.s.Δt
