Analysis of Errors and Improvement Measures in the Determination of Specific Heat of Air at Constant Pressure

The experiment for determining the specific heat of air at constant pressure serves as a foundational project in the courses of “Engineering Thermodynamics” and “Fundamentals of Thermal Engineering.” It aids students in understanding and mastering abstract theoretical concepts such as specific heat, thermodynamic processes, the first law of thermodynamics, and moist air (mixture gases), as well as related measurement techniques. Based on an explanation of the experimental principles, apparatus, and data processing methods, the analysis identifies the main causes of experimental errors. Corresponding improvement measures are proposed for issues such as reading errors, heat loss, and the ideal gas assumption. After implementing these measures, the deviation of the experimentally determined average specific heat of air from the theoretical value is within 10%, meeting the basic requirements for undergraduate experimental teaching.