In bomb calorimetry, the primary measurement taken to determine the energy change of a reaction is the change in __________.

In bomb calorimetry, the primary measurement taken to determine the energy change of a reaction is the change in temperature of the calorimeter. The bomb, containing the sample, is ignited and the heat released raises the temperature of the surrounding water and calorimeter. By measuring how much the temperature rises, and knowing the heat capacity of the system, we can calculate the heat released or absorbed. For example, if a sample causes the temperature to rise by 2 °C and the calorimeter’s heat capacity is 4 kJ/°C, the reaction released 8 kJ of heat.