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Why is a Styrofoam coffee cup an imperfect calorimeter?

User Shreddish
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Step-by-step explanation:

Calorimeters are utilized to measure heat transfers or flow.

Calorimeters are made of insulating substances.

To be a perfect calorimeter it should be sealed, with no heat flow and insulated properly this permits the precise measurement of the heat involved during the chemical reaction.

A Styrofoam coffee cup is an imperfect calorimeter because there are several means by which heat is released during a chemical reaction and leave the Styrofoam

User Ranjeet Sajwan
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A Styrofoam coffee cup is an imperfect calorimeter because there are many ways for heat released by a reaction to escape the Styrofoam. In order to be a perfect calorimeter, the system should be completely closed, no heat flow and mass flow.
User Globetrotter
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