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The Coffee-Cup Calorimeter

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A coffee-cup calorimeter is a simple, constant-pressure device that measures heat exchange in a solution from its temperature change.

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A polystyrene-cup calorimeter holding a reacting solution lets a thermometer track the temperature rise or fall as the reaction proceeds.

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A coffee-cup calorimeter's imperfect insulation lets some heat escape to the room, giving less accurate values than a sealed instrument.