What is the purpose of a calorimeter?
A. To determine the temperature of a chemical reaction
B. To determine the energy changes of a chemical reaction
C. To identify the specific temperature of an unknown substance
D. To measure the average kinetic energy of a substance
I think the answer is b.
right
The purpose of a calorimeter is to determine the energy changes of a chemical reaction, so you are correct.
To arrive at this answer, you can analyze the different options and eliminate the ones that are not related to the purpose of a calorimeter:
A. To determine the temperature of a chemical reaction: While a calorimeter can measure temperature, this is not its primary purpose. Its main function is to determine energy changes.
B. To determine the energy changes of a chemical reaction: This is correct. A calorimeter measures the heat exchanged during a reaction, allowing us to determine the energy changes that occur.
C. To identify the specific temperature of an unknown substance: While a calorimeter can measure the temperature of a substance, its primary function is to measure energy changes during reactions, not to identify specific temperatures of unknown substances.
D. To measure the average kinetic energy of a substance: While a calorimeter can indirectly measure energy, it does not directly measure the average kinetic energy of a substance. That is more closely associated with other types of instruments like thermometers.
By process of elimination, we can conclude that option B, "To determine the energy changes of a chemical reaction," is the most appropriate answer.