In this experiment, the aim is to determine the heats of combustion of alcohols, specifically butan-1-ol. The experiment involves burning a measured mass of an alcohol in a spirit lamp and transferring the heat energy released to a calorimeter containing water. From the resulting temperature rise, the heat of combustion can be calculated. The apparatus used must be calibrated using an alcohol with a known heat of combustion due to factors such as the heat energy lost to the surrounding air and the heat capacity of the calorimeter. Safety precautions must also be taken due to the flammability and potential toxicity of the alcohols. The experiment provides an opportunity to calculate the specific heat capacity of the calorimeter and determine the enthalpy change of butan-1-ol. Calculations can be made to determine the percentage difference between experimental values and data book values and to explain why there may be a difference.