Principle of Calorimetry
Calorimetry is based on the fundamental notion that, when a hot body is mixed with a cold body in an isolated system, the total heat exchange results in no loss to the surroundings. This is expressed by the equation:
Heat lost by hot body = Heat gained by cold body
This principle is grounded in the law of conservation of energy, which asserts that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.
In calorimetry, understanding this principle is fundamental for measuring the heat involved in physical and chemical processes. It enables scientists to calculate changes in thermal energy, and consequently, make predictions about the behavior of substances based on temperature changes.