[aegirod]

Hi!

Why is a magnetic stir bar important when using the coffee cup calorimeter?

How is it affecting the enthalpy value?

My intuition tells me that it might underestimate the true value, because the calorimeter is not perfect and will lose heat if there is too much heat in one area of the calorimeter.

Thank you!

[Borek]

You want the temperature to be identical in whole sample, don't you?

[aegirod]

Yes, I just don't know what will happen if it isn't

[Borek]

Thermometer measure average temperature of the sample, or the temperature of the liquid it is in contact with?

[Arkcon]

Yes, I just don't know what will happen if it isn't

Why is anything stirred, ever?  If something isn't stirred, and you do anything with any part of it (take a sip of coffee, take a temperature of a swimming pool, anything at all) can you say that you know all about the system in question?

I realize you want the best-est-er-est full written answer for the maximum examination points, but you wrote an answer already.  What is your second question?