In chemistry, we did a lab in which we had a certain mass of copper, performed multiple experiments on the copper, and at the end, extracted the copper from a solution and weighed it. The goal was that the mass of the final copper should be the same as the mass of the initial copper.
During the final step, the copper pieces are put in an evaporating dish and placed over boiling water in a beaker (on a hot plate) so that the copper will dry, the excess water will evaporate, and all that will be left is the mass of the copper. Here is the question:
What is the maximum temperature to which the evaporating dish containing copper will be heated in Part G? How is this known?
I really don't know the answer to this question or how to find out, as we did not take the temperature of anything during the experiment. The only thing I can think of is that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius so the temperature of the steam (the heat of which evaporates the water) must be around then, so that must also be the max temp of the evaporating dish..
Or I was also thinking that we know that max temp of the evaporating dish must be lower than the melting point of copper because the copper is dried but not overheated.
Both of your conjectures are correct but the second one doesn't answer the question. Your first educated guess is correct; the MAX temperature of the evaporating dish MUST be 100 C because that's the boiling point of water. The evaporating dish CAN'T get hotter than that. No way!
Great thanks! And I looked up the melting point of copper and it's 1085 degrees Celsius and it sure isn't getting that hot haha so it would make sense that 100 degrees Celsius is the maximum temperature.
To determine the maximum temperature to which the evaporating dish containing copper will be heated in Part G, you can consider a few factors:
1. Melting point of copper: As you mentioned, the maximum temperature should be lower than the melting point of copper to avoid overheating and melting the copper. The melting point of copper is about 1,085 degrees Celsius.
2. Boiling point of water: Since the copper is dried by placing it over boiling water, you can assume that the maximum temperature will be close to the boiling point of water, which is 100 degrees Celsius.
Considering these factors, it is reasonable to assume that the maximum temperature to which the evaporating dish containing copper will be heated in Part G is around 100 degrees Celsius. This is sufficient to evaporate excess water without overheating the copper.
It's worth noting that without specific temperature measurements during the experiment, this estimation is based on general knowledge of the properties and behavior of copper and water.
To determine the maximum temperature to which the evaporating dish containing copper will be heated in Part G, there are a few factors we can consider.
First, as you mentioned, the boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius. Since the evaporating dish is placed over boiling water, it is reasonable to assume that the temperature of the dish will not exceed 100 degrees Celsius, as the water is converting to steam and providing heat to the dish.
However, it is important to note that the boiling point of water may not apply directly to the evaporating dish itself. The dish is in direct contact with the steam and is likely to be heated by conduction and convection. This means that the temperature of the dish could be slightly higher than 100 degrees Celsius, but it should not exceed the boiling point of water significantly.
Additionally, you are correct in considering the melting point of copper. The melting point of copper is around 1085 degrees Celsius. Since the goal is to dry the copper and not melt it, the temperature of the evaporating dish needs to be kept below the melting point of copper to ensure that the copper remains solid.
Considering these factors, we can conclude that the maximum temperature to which the evaporating dish containing copper will be heated in Part G should not exceed 100 degrees Celsius and should be kept below the melting point of copper, which is around 1085 degrees Celsius.