Calorimetry & Specific Heat Lab
Drop a hot metal into water, plot the temperatures and calculate the specific heat capacity.
Drag the hot metal into the cup of water. Watch both temperatures meet, then calculate the metal's specific heat.
About the Calorimetry & Specific Heat Lab
Free calorimetry & specific heat lab. Drop a hot metal into water, plot the temperatures and calculate the specific heat capacity. Drag, change the sliders and see the result live. No sign-up, works on phone and computer. Built for chemistry labs, the calorimetry & specific heat lab runs instantly in your browser: change a setting or drag an object and the result updates at once, so you learn by trying things out rather than only reading about them.
Drop a hot metal into water, plot the temperatures and calculate the specific heat capacity. Use it to explore chemistry labs ideas at your own pace, then check what you found against the key ideas further down this page.
How to use the Calorimetry & Specific Heat Lab
- Use the controls to change Metal, Water mass, Metal mass, Metal starting temperature. The simulation reacts instantly.
- Pick an option such as Aluminium 0.90, Iron 0.45, Copper 0.385, Lead 0.13 to switch modes or load an example.
- Press "Reset" to start, reset or change what is happening.
- Where you see a glowing handle, object, weight or atom, drag it with your mouse or finger. Everything responds in real time.
- Watch the readouts and graphs update as you experiment, and compare what you see with the key ideas below.
Things to try
- Drop aluminium, then lead, and compare the final temperature.
- Try the mystery metal and calculate c.
- Double the water mass and predict the final temperature.
Key ideas you can learn
- Heat lost by the hot metal equals heat gained by the water.
- q = m × c × ΔT.
- Metals with a low specific heat change temperature quickly.
- Both temperatures meet at a final temperature.
Where this is used in the real world
Nutrition labels (calories), engine design, cooking and climate models all rely on calorimetry.
Who is this simulation for?
Students preparing for practical exams and teachers who want a virtual lab. You can repeat the experiment without chemicals, waste or safety risks.
For teachers: project it on the board, let students predict what will happen, then run it together. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you find the specific heat of a metal with a calorimeter?
Use m_metal × c × (T_metal − T_final) = m_water × 4.18 × (T_final − T_water) and solve for c.
Why do we ignore the cup?
A coffee cup is a good insulator with a small heat capacity, so nearly all the heat goes into the water.
Is the Calorimetry & Specific Heat Lab free to use?
Yes. It is completely free, with no signup, no download and no ads inside the simulation. It runs in your web browser.
Does the Calorimetry & Specific Heat Lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. It uses touch as well as the mouse, so you can drag objects with your finger. A larger screen makes the controls easier to see.