Final answer:
If a calorimeter that is a poorer insulator than a coffee cup calorimeter is used, the measured heat for the reaction would be lesser, due to greater heat loss to the surroundings and a lower resulting temperature change inside the calorimeter.
Step-by-step explanation:
When assessing the potential outcomes of using a poor insulator for a calorimeter, it's important to understand the purpose and function of a calorimeter in thermodynamics. A calorimeter is designed to measure the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes, as well as heat capacity. A coffee cup calorimeter, often used in classroom settings, is a simple calorimeter that consists of two nested polystyrene cups, acting as a decent insulator.
For question 15, if a poorer insulator than the coffee cup calorimeter was used, the amount of heat measured for the reaction would be lesser. This is because more heat would be lost to the surroundings, including the cup itself and the external environment. This increased loss of heat results in a lower temperature change (ΔT) for the water inside the calorimeter, which in turn would lead to a lower calculated quantity of heat (q) lost or gained by the reaction. The differences in heat transfer can also be related to the basic calorimetry concept that when two substances of different temperatures are mixed, heat will flow until thermal equilibrium is reached; with poorer insulation, reaching equilibrium involves more heat loss to the surroundings.