Liu1 Experiment 8: Calorimeter ? the science of measuring Heat Objective: The objective of this experiment is to determine the specific heat capacity of an unknown metal and the heat of solution for the salt. Method: A calorimeter is a device used for calculate the enthalpy change of reaction, the science of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical change as well as heat capacity. The heat capacity of an object is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature by 1K (or 1?C). The heat capacity of one gram of a substance is called its specific heat capacity.