dry calorimetry (aneroid calorimetry)

[toniwin]

as part of my science fair project and the limited funding my advisor has, i have to make a calorimeter which is able to burn saw dust efficiently.

i was thinking something to the likes of nutritional calorimtry (where it has the test tube and heat source under it which is than burned to show how much calories it emitted.) but i wasn't sure if additive amount of substances (such as vegetable oil and sawdust) would still result in the same if i did a control experiment on the vegetable oil itslef.

anybody out there could answer my question if hess's law can be applied in my situtation? i know it probably won't burn completely, but am unsure about the subject in question

thanks in advance to the responder

[davidkallman2]

Hi toniwin,

Hess's law should apply; I see no reason why it shouldn't. Here are some web resources with more information on Hess's law:

http://www.chemistry.co.nz/hess_law.htm
http://wine1.sb.fsu.edu/chm1045/notes/E ... ergy04.htm
http://www.ucdsb.on.ca/tiss/stretton/chem2/enthal08.htm

http://chemistry2.csudh.edu/lecture_help/Hesslaw.html

Note: the last webpage has Hess law quizzes. I was unable to get it to work. However, it does look worthwhile, and maybe you'll have better luck (or have "customized" your system less than I have done to mine. There's a lesson in there.)