Question

Calorimeter is commonly made up of _________ because it has _________.

Answer 1

We know that the calorimeter is a device used to determine specific heat of a substance. Since copper is a good conductor of heat and has a very low specific heat capacity. It is the most suited material for making calorimeters.

Complete answer:
As we know that the calorimeter is a device that is used to measure heat transferred by a substance so it should be made of a material that has low heat absorption and emission rate. The method for determining specific heat capacity or latent heat of a substance using a calorimeter is called calorimetry. It uses the method of mixtures. The substance whose specific heat is to be determined is mixed with water and the individual heat gain by water and calorimeter is equated to heat lost by the substance. During a physical or a chemical reaction, it is natural that there is heat transfer towards and from the reaction system. This heat energy in the form of a quantity called enthalpy is measured using the device called a calorimeter. Since the heat has to be conducted evenly, uniformly, and quickly to the materials, the material used should have a higher value of thermal conductivity.
Copper has one of the best thermal conductivities among the metals. It is the device used to measure the amount of heat transferred from one object to another. Calorimetry is the process of measuring the amount of heat released or absorbed during a chemical reaction. Now, let us think of the properties that are required in the manufacturing of calorimeters so as to get the account of what kind of metal is required in manufacturing of the calorimeter. Hence, it will absorb a small amount of heat before reaching the Thermal Equilibrium. All the properties required by the metal for manufacturing calorimeters are sufficed by copper like high malleability, good conductivity of heat and low specific heat capacity.
Therefore, the calorimeter is commonly made up of copper because the specific heat capacity of copper is low.

Note:
Remember that the copper is highly malleable so it can be converted into thin sheets and a thin box of small mass can be made out of its Copper is a very good conductor of heat. Copper has low specific heat capacity, so it can reach the equilibrium temperature quickly by absorbing only a small amount of heat.