Stir with the probe. Note and record the maximum temperature. The student must have the proper thermistor calibration file on the floppy disk. See DCExperiment 122 to calibrate the thermistors. The materials used in this experiment may be disposed of safely at the sink after neutralization.
Low values imply that heat has been lost or otherwise gone unaccounted.
The heat required to raise the temperature of the thermistor itself and the styrofoam cups was neglected. Heat leakage from the cups due to imperfect insulation was neglected. While it is possible to keep track of the calculations if the solutions are not at the same starting temperature, the calculations are a great deal easier when both solutions start at the same temperature so that, if they were both water samples, there would be no temperature change resulting from their mixing.