experiment for specific heat capacity of water

Measure the Specific Heat of Water and Other Fluids

Introduction: Measure the Specific Heat of Water and Other Fluids

Step 1: Equipment

• Digital postal scale
• Plastic cup that will hold at least 250ml
• Variable power supply]
• Digital thermometer with probe
• 7.5 ohm, 5W resistor] (or something close)
• Short length of wire
• Clock showing time in seconds (not shown)
• 250 ml of cold water (tap water will do, distilled is better) (not shown)

Step 2: Setup

1. Prepare some cold water (preferably distilled) by putting it in a container in a refrigerator for an hour or so. You want to start with cold water so that your experimental data will include temperatures on either side of the ambient temperature. 2. Put the cup on the digital scale and zero the scale. 3. Pour cold water into the cup until the scale reads at least 250 g. Record the mass "M" of water that you actually added. 3. Strip a short length of the insulation from the wire and connect the resistor in series with the variable power supply by twisting the bare wires around the resistor leads. 4. Put the resistor into the cup of water so that the resistor is submerged 5. Record the ambient temperature "Ta" and then put the temperature probe into the water as well.

Step 3: Procedure

1. Turn on the power supply and adjust the voltage to around 7.5 volts (or the value of the resistor that you used). Record the voltage "V" and the current "I". Note that with a DC power supply there is no danger of electric shock. You can handle the bare wires by hand. 2. Record the water temperature every 2 minutes until the temperature is about 5 degrees C above the ambient room temperature. Aside: Ohm's law states that Voltage (V), Current (I), and Resistance (R) are related by the formula V = I*R (where V is in volts, I is in Amps, and R is in Ohms). You measured V and I. Therefore you can calculate R = V/I and compare this with the known value of your resistor. In my case, V=7.5V, and I=1.00A. Therefore R=V/I = 7.5 Ohms which is the value of the resistor that I used. Hurray!

Step 4: Results

The ambient temperature was 20.1 degrees C. One of the datapoints was 20.2 degrees C which is very close to ambient. To minimize error due to heat transfer to or from the surroundings, lets look at the data from 10 minutes before till 10 minutes after this datapoint.

Step 5: Conclusion

Educating Physics

Determining Specific Heat Capacity Through Experiment

Objectives:

• To understand how to practically determine the specific heat capacity of a substance

Introduction  

A practical for specific heat capacity involves measuring the temperature changes of different materials when they are heated . An investigation involves linking the decrease of one store of one energy store to the increase in thermal energy store. As you would expect, the energy transferrer (work done) will cause a temperature to rise.

As you will have learned on the specific heat capacity page, the temperature rise of a material depends on its specific heat capacity. Materials with a low specific heat capacity (a low capacity to store thermal energy) will have a greater temperature increase than those with a high specific heat capacity.

Apparatus required

• Aluminium block with two holes, one for a thermometer and one for a heater
• 50 W, 12 V heater

• Thermometer
• Beaker (250 cm 3 )

Safety precautions

• The heating element will get very hot, especially if not inside a metal block. Take care not to burn yourself
• Damaged equipment should not be used (e.g. bare wires etc.)
• If you scald yourself with the heater or water then, cool under running cold water immediately for 10 minutes.
• Measure the mass of the aluminium block using the balance, if recorded in grams, this should be converted into kilograms.
• Place the heater and thermometer into the aluminium block

• Measure the  starting temperature of the metal block (you may need to wait for the thermometer to stop changing first).
• Turn the power pack on and up to about 5V, this can be higher for certain heaters (but it will say the maximum on it)
• Record the ammeter and voltmeter readings every 60 seconds in a table like that shown further down this page. These values may vary during the experiment, but they shouldn’t do significantly. Whilst recording the ammeter and voltmeter reading, also record the new temperature of the block at each 60s interval.
• After about 10 minutes turn off the power supply.
• Keep the thermometer in the metal block for a while longer. Record the maximum temperature of the block. The heater will still have some energy after you have turned off the power supply so you want to record any additional temperature rise from this energy.

Examples of results tables you should consider using:

Things to consider before experimenting

• The heating element should fit very snuggly into the metal block, but there may be a small layer of air between the heating element  and the metal block. Add a drop of water before you put the heating element in to improve transfer of energy between the heating element and the metal block.
• Remember to measure the mass of the metal block. These blocks are usually 1kg, but to make sure your calculations are accurate, you should take an accurate mass measurement.
• Make sure you heat the metal block for at least 10 minutes; otherwise you will not be able to draw a graph with a good range of results.
• Don’t forget to use your graph to find the gradient of the line. You will need this and the mass of the block to work out the specific het capacity  of the metal.

Analysing the results

After drawing you line of best and taking your gradient the specific heat capacity can be found by using the following equation:

Exemplar graph and results:

****waiting for a good graph to be drawn from a student ****

• Usually, the value for specific heat capacity found is higher than it should be, this is because more energy is put into the system than that used to heat up the substance. Some energy goes into wasted energy, such as heat loss to the surroundings. To improve the results, an insulation material should be used around the block.
• If you are trying to determine the specific heat capacity of a liquid, then the liquid should be stirred before each measurement to ensure all the water is the same temperature. Additionally, a lid should be used, since heat rises this is one way thermal energy can be lost to the surroundings.

Further reading:

• Specific heat capacity – S-cool

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The thermal properties of water

In association with Nuffield Foundation

• No comments

Explore water’s boiling point, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity with a Bunsen burner, a paper cup and a balloon.

In this series of experiments, students observe illustrations of the thermal properties of water using a Bunsen burner, a paper cup and a balloon.

The fact that water has a boiling point of 100 °C means that paper will not reach its ignition temperature if water is heated in a paper cup. The high specific heat capacity of water means the temperature rise in a heated balloon is limited if it contains water. The good thermal conductivity of water conducts the heat away from the hot spot above the Bunsen flame in each case.

These are quite ‘showy’ demonstrations, but with a definite theoretical background.

The experiments will take about ten minutes, unless you have a lot of ‘patter’.

• Eye protection
• Two disposable, waxed-paper cups (as used for cold drinks at parties) – alternatively, paper cake cases can be used (see note 3 below)
• Two party balloons
• Thermocouple-type thermometer with a large display or interfaced to a computer and monitor (see note 4)
• Stand, boss and clamp, x2
• Bunsen burner
• Pipeclay triangle
• Heat resistant mats, x2
• Wooden splints

Health, safety and technical notes

• Read our standard health and safety guidance.
• Wear eye protection throughout.
• A black background to the paper cup enables steam to be seen more easily.
• A display thermometer is not essential. The probe can be placed in the cup to monitor the temperature.
• Please remember that you are dealing with boiling water (in a paper cup) or hot water (in a balloon). These unconventional containers may be less stable than normal ones so care is needed to ensure they are not knocked over or splashed.

For the paper cup experiment

• Place a Bunsen burner on a heat resistant mat. Light the Bunsen and adjust it to a small, yellow-tipped flame.
• Using tongs, hold a paper cup over the flame. The cup will catch fire within a few seconds. Allow it to burn out or extinguish it by placing it on the heat resistant mat and covering with either another heat resistant mat or a damp cloth.
• Place a pipeclay triangle on top of a tripod and set it over the Bunsen burner. Half fill the second paper cup with tap water and carefully rest it on top of the pipeclay triangle, over the same flame as before. Take care to centre the flame on the base of the cup and ensure that the flame does not play on the sides of the cup above the water level. After a few minutes the water will boil and the cup will remain undamaged except for a little charring around the rim on the base. Measure the temperature of the water with the thermometer.

For the balloon experiment

• Inflate one of the balloons to the usual size and knot the end. Put about 100 cm 3  of water from a tap in the second balloon and then inflate it to the same size as the first balloon and tie the neck.
• Hold or clamp the first balloon and apply the flame of a lit splint to its base. It will burst almost instantly.
• Hold or clamp the second balloon similarly and apply the flame of the lit splint to the base where the water is. The balloon will not burst and the flame can be held in place for some time. Be careful not to heat the balloon above the level of the water.
• If desired, show that this is caused by the presence of the water. Work over a sink or a tray and move the flame to a part of the balloon not filled with water. It will burst instantly.

Teaching notes

Paper will not ignite below about 230 °C. When it reaches 100 °C, the water in the cup will boil and stay at that temperature while it boils away. Water is a relatively good conductor of heat and this, together with convection effects, transfers heat away from the hot spot above the Bunsen flame.

In the absence of water, the rubber of the balloon soon heats up, softens, and the balloon bursts. The specific heat capacity (SHC) of water is high (4.2 J g –1  K –1 ) and so it takes a lot of heat to produce a relatively small temperature rise in water. Again, the water conducts the heat away from the hot spot.

The high SHC of water is due to the strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding – it takes a lot of energy to separate water molecules.

Additional information

This is a resource from the  Practical Chemistry project , developed by the Nuffield Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Practical Chemistry activities accompany  Practical Physics  and  Practical Biology .

© Nuffield Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry

• 14-16 years
• 16-18 years
• Demonstrations
• Properties of matter
• Physical chemistry

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Specific heat capacity of water

YOU WILL NEED

A copper or aluminium calorimeter, a muff, an electrical immersion heater, a voltmeter, an ammeter, connecting leads, a low voltage power supply, a thermometer (0 � 50 o C), a stop watch.

Measure the mass of the calorimeter (M C ) and fill it with a known mass of water (M W ). Record the initial water temperature (θ 1 ). Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 1. Switch on the heater allow it to heat up so that it is slightly warm to the touch and then put it in the water. Place the muff over the calorimeter and heat the water for a measured time (t). Measure the final temperature of the water (θ 2 ). Record the voltage (V) and current (I), this may need to be adjusted throughout the experiment so that the power input remains constant.

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS

To measure the specific heat capacity of water by an electrical method

In this experiment electrical energy is supplied to a heating coil which is placed in an insulated calorimeter containing some water. Assuming that no heat is lost, all of the energy is used to heat the water and the calorimeter. Thus: Energy supplied (in joules) = m w c w ( rise in temperature) + m c c c (rise in temperature) where m w and m c are the masses of water and the calorimeter. c c is the specific heat capacity of the calorimeter material (c c is assumed = 0 for polystyrene).

• To select a calorimeter click on the word "Copper" for other options. Record the calorimeter and its mass.
• Click in the Mass box and select the mass of water in the calorimeter. (min.50g, max. 90g). Press Submit.
• Click on "Place Calorimeter" to put the calorimeter in the insulated container.
• Record the starting temperature.
• Press "Power on" to provide electrical energy to the heating coil.
• After a temperature rise of approximately 10 degrees, press "Power off".
• Record the number of joules of energy supplied and the final temperature of the water and calorimeter.
• Press "Reset".
• Repeat the experiment using a variety of masses of water, increases in temperature, and different calorimeters.
• Ensure that the heating element is covered with water to avoid any loss of heat energy.
• Ensure that the calorimeter is well insulated to avoid loss of heat energy.
• Stir the water throughout the experiment to ensure that the thermometer reading reflects the heat supplied.
• Use a sensitive thermometer graduated to 0.1 or 0.2 degrees. An error of 1 deg. in 10 is a large relative error.

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Specific Heat and Heat Capacity

Specific heat is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. It plays a crucial role in understanding how different materials respond to heating and cooling and describes their ability to store and release thermal energy . For example, water has a higher specific heat than metals. It means that more heat is required to raise water’s temperature by one degree than metals’, as shown in the image below.

On the other hand, heat capacity is the amount of heat required to increase the temperature of the entire substance by one degree Celsius.

Specific Heat and Heat Capacity Formula

The specific heat can be calculated from the amount of heat transferred into and out of a substance. The heat transfer equation provides a quantitative relationship between heat transfer, substance’s mass, specific heat, and temperature change. It is shown as follows:

• Q represents the heat transfer in Joules (J) or calories (cal).
• m denotes the mass of the substance in grams (g) or kilograms (kg) being heated or cooled.
• c is the specific heat
• ΔT represents the temperature change in degrees Celsius ( ∘ C) of the substance

This formula assumes no phase change occurs during heating or cooling processes and applies specifically to substances with constant specific heat within a given temperature range.

Rearranging the above equation, one can find the expression for specific heat.

The heat capacity (C) can be calculated by multiplying the specific heat with the mass. Therefore,

The unit of specific heat is Joules per gram per degree Celsius or J/g∙ ∘ C. Another unit of specific heat is calories per gram per degree Celsius or J/cal∙ ∘ C. The temperature change (∆T) in the Celsius (C) scale is the same as that in the Kelvin (K) scale, although the temperature values differ. Therefore, one can replace ∘ C with K. In that case, the SI unit of specific heat is Joules per kilogram per degree Kelvin or J/kg∙K.

The unit of heat capacity is J/ ∘ C or cal/ ∘ C.

Molar Specific Heat

The specific heat of a substance can also be described in terms of its molar amount. In that case, we use a term called molar specific heat. It is defined as the amount of heat required to change the temperature of one mole of a substance by one degree. It is represented in the unit of Joules per mole per degree Celsius or J/mol ∘ C.

Specific Heat Table

The specific heat values can be calculated for different substances from the above formula. Below is a table that shows the values for a few common substances:

Water has a particularly high specific heat compared to many other substances. Its specific heat capacity is 4.184 J/g°C, which means it takes 4.184 Joules of energy to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. Let us discuss the significance of this remarkable property of water.

Specific Heat of Water

Water has an exceptionally high capacity to absorb and retain heat energy without undergoing large temperature changes. This property is significant in thermoregulation in nature and human-made systems.

Thermoregulation is the process by which living organisms maintain their internal body temperature within a narrow range despite fluctuations in the external environment. In nature, bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, and rivers act as thermal regulators by absorbing excess heat during the daytime and slowly releasing it at night. This helps maintain stable temperatures in surrounding areas and supports diverse ecosystems.

Understanding water’s specific heat is crucial for designing efficient heating and cooling artificial systems like car radiators and hot water pipes. Water’s ability to store large amounts of thermal energy makes it an ideal medium for transferring heat between different areas while minimizing temperature fluctuations.

Difference Between Specific Heat and Heat Capacity

Below is a table summarizing the difference between specific heat and heat capacity.

Example Problems with Solutions

Problem 1 :  A 200 g piece of aluminum initially at 80°C is dropped into 400 mL of water at 20°C. If the final temperature of the system is 40°C, calculate the heat transferred to the water. The specific heat of aluminum is 0.9 J/g∙°C, and the specific heat of water is 4.18 J/g∙°C.

The heat transfer equation is given by:

Heat lost by aluminum is:

\[ q_{\text{Al}} = m_{\text{Al}} \cdot c_{\text{Al}} \cdot \Delta T_{\text{Al}} \]

\[ q_{\text{Al}} = (200 \, \text{g}) \cdot (0.9 \, \text{J/g°C}) \cdot (40 \, \text{°C} – 80 \, \text{°C}) \]

\[ q_{\text{Al}} = -7200 \, \text{J} \]

The negative sign implies that aluminum loses heat to water. Therefore, the heat transferred to water is 7200 J .

Problem 2 : A 150 g piece of copper is heated from 20°C to 100°C. Calculate the heat energy absorbed by the copper. The specific heat of copper is 0.39 J/g∙°C.

\[ q = m \cdot c \cdot \Delta T \]

\[ q_{\text{copper}} = m_{\text{copper}} \cdot c_{\text{copper}} \cdot \Delta T_{\text{copper}} \]

\[ q_{\text{copper}} = (150 \, \text{g}) \cdot (0.39 \, \text{J/g°C}) \cdot (100 \, \text{°C} – 20 \, \text{°C}) \]

\[ q_{\text{copper}} = 4680 \, \text{J} \]

Therefore, the heat absorbed by copper is 4680 J .

• Specific Heat – Hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu
• Specific Heat Capacity – Study.com
• What is Specific Heat? – Chemistrytalk.org
• Specific Heat –  Phys.libretexts.org
• Specific Heats: the relation between temperature change and heat – Web.mit.edu
• Heat – Chemed.chem.purdue.edu
• Heat Capacity and Specific Heat – Chem.libretexts.org
• Specific Heat Definition – Thoughtco.com
• Specific Heat Capacity – Energyeducation.ca
• Specific heat and Heat Capacity – Cpanhd.sitehost.iu.edu

Article was last reviewed on Sunday, August 11, 2024

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• Thermodynamics
• Specific Heat Of Water

Specific Heat of Water

Heat is a form of energy, often called thermal energy. Energy can be transformed from one form to another (a blender transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy), but it cannot be created nor destroyed; rather, energy is conserved.

Table of Content

• What is Heat Capacitiy?
• What is Specific Heat?
• Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What is Heat Capacity?

Heat capacity , Cp, is the amount of heat required to change the heat content of 1 mole of material by exactly 1°C.

In basic thermodynamics , the higher the temperature of a material, the more thermal energy it possesses. In addition, at a given temperature, the more of a given substance, the more total thermal energy the material will possess.

Image of Specific Heat of Water

On an atomic level, absorbed heat causes the atoms of a solid to vibrate, much as if they were bonded to one another through springs. As the temperature is raised, the energy of the vibrations increases. In a metal, this is the only motion possible. In a liquid or gas, absorbed heat causes the atoms in the molecule to vibrate, and the molecule to both rotate and move from place to place. Because there are more “storage” possibilities for energy in liquids and gases, their heat capacities are larger than in metals.

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What is Specific Heat?

Specific heat , Csp, is the amount of heat required to change the heat content of exactly 1 gram of a material by exactly 1°C.

Specific heat values can be determined in the following way: When two materials, each initially at a different temperature, are placed in contact with one another, heat always flows from the warmer material into the colder material until both the materials attain the same temperature. From the law of conservation of energy, the heat gained by the initially colder material must equal the heat lost by the initially warmer material.

We know that when heat energy is absorbed by a substance, its temperature increases. If the same quantity of heat is given to equal masses of different substances, it is observed that the rise in temperature for each substance is different. This is due to the fact that different substances have different heat capacities. So heat capacity of a substance is the quantity of the heat required to raise the temperature of the whole substance by one degree. If the mass of the substance is unity then the heat capacity is called Specific heat capacity or the specific heat .

Specific Heat Capacity Formula

Q = C m ∆t Where

• Q = quantity of heat absorbed by a body
• m = mass of the body
• ∆t = Rise in temperature
• C = Specific heat capacity of a substance depends on the nature of the material of the substance.
• S.I unit of specific heat is J kg -1 K -1 .

Specific Heat Capacity Unit

Its S.I unit is J K -1 .

For liquid at room temperature and pressure, the value of specific heat capacity (Cp) is approximately 4.2 J/g°C. This implies that it takes 4.2 joules of energy to raise 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. This value for Cp is actually quite large. This (1 cal/g.deg) is the specific heat of the water as a liquid or specific heat capacity of liquid water.

One calorie= 4.184 joules; 1 joule= 1 kg(m) 2 (s) -2 = 0.239005736 calorie

The specific heat capacity of water vapour at room temperature is also higher than most other materials. For water vapour at room temperature and pressure, the value of specific heat capacity (Cp) is approximately 1.9 J/g°C.

As with most liquids, the temperature of water increases as it absorbs heat and decreases as it releases heat. However, the temperature of liquid waterfalls & rises more slowly than most other liquids. We can say that water absorbs heat without an immediate rise in temperature. It also retains its temperature much longer than other substances.

We use this property of water in our body to maintain constant body temperature. If water had a lower Csp value, then there would a lot of cases of overheating and underheating.

Specific Heat Explanation

We can explain the reason for the high specific heat of water due to the hydrogen bonds. In order to increase the temperature of the water with the multitude of joined hydrogen bonds, the molecules have to vibrate. Due to the presence of so many hydrogen bonds , a larger amount of energy is required to make the water molecules break by vibrating them.

Similarly, for hot water to cool down, it takes a bit of time. As heat is dissipated, temperature decreases and the vibrational movement of water molecules slow down. The heat that is given off counteracts the cooling effect of the loss of heat from the liquid water.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

How do you measure specific heat capacity.

Specific heat efficiency is measured by the amount of heat energy required to raise one gram of one degree Celsius of a product. Water’s specific heat power is 4.2 joules per gram per Celsius degree or 1 calory per gram per Celsius degree.

Which is the advantage of water’s heat capacity?

Because water has a high heat capacity, increasing the temperature by one degree requires more energy. The sun sends out a more or less constant energy level which heats up sand faster and water faster.

What is the difference between heat capacity and specific heat capacity?

Specific heat capacity is the heat needed to raise a substance’s temperature by 1 degree Celsius. Similarly, heat capacity is the ratio between the energy provided to a substance and the corresponding increase in its temperature.

Why is the specific heat capacity of water higher than metal?

This is because the metal spoon’s specific heat efficiency is much smaller than the soup liquid. Water has every liquid’s highest specific heat capacity.

What is the SI unit of specific heat capacity?

Specific heat efficiency (symbol: c) in SI units is the amount of heat required in joules to raise 1 gram of 1 Kelvin substance. It can be expressed as J / kg as well. · K. K. Specific heat capacity in calorie units per gram Celsius may be recorded.

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Core Practical: Investigating Specific Heat Capacity ( Edexcel GCSE Physics )

Revision note.

Physics Project Lead

Core Practical 6: Investigating Specific Heat Capacity

Equipment list.

• Thermometer = 0.1 °C
• Voltmeter = 0.1 V
• Ammeter = 0.1 A
• Stopwatch = 1 s
• Digital balance = 1 g

Experiment 1: Determining the Specific Heat Capacity of Water

Aim of the experiment.

• The aim of this experiment is to determine the specific heat capacity of water by measuring the energy required to increase the temperature of a known amount by 1°C

Apparatus for heating water and measuring energy supplied

• Place the beaker on the digital balance and press 'tare'
• Add approximately 250 ml of water and record the mass of the water
• Place the immersion heater and thermometer in the water
• Connect up the circuit as shown in the diagram, with the ammeter in series with the power supply and immersion heater, and the voltmeter in parallel with immersion heater
• Record the initial temperature of the water at time 0 s
• Turn on the power supply, set at approximately 10 V, and start the stopwatch
• Record the voltage and current
• Continue to record the temperature, voltage and current every 60 seconds for 10 minutes
• An example of a results table might look like this:

Analysis of Results

Electrical energy (J) = voltage (V) × current (A) × time (s)

• Calculate the temperature change by subtracting the temperature at time 0 s from the temperature recorded each minute
• Calculate the average mass of the water by adding the mass at the start and the mass at the end and then dividing the total by two
• Plot a graph of the energy supplied (y-axis) against the temperature change multiplied by the average mass (x-axis)
• The gradient of this graph will be the specific heat capacity of the water
• Divide the change on the y-axis between two points on the straight line region, with the change on the x-axis between the same two points

The gradient of the graph is equal to the specific heat capacity of the water, assuming a perfectly efficient immersion heater

Experiment 2: Obtaining a Temperature-Time Graph for Melting Ice

• The aim of this experiment is to plot a graph of the temperature of ice, against time, as it is heated to water

Apparatus used to heat ice and measure its temperature as it melts

• Place some ice in a beaker so it is about half-full
• Place a thermometer in the beaker
• Place the beaker on a tripod and gauze and slowly start to heat it using a bunsen burner
• As the beaker is heated, take regular temperature measurements (e.g. at one minute intervals)
• Continue this whilst the substance changes state (from solid to liquid)
• The results can then be plotted on a graph

A heating curve will show a flat section whilst the ice is melting

Evaluating the Experiments

• Ensure the digital balance is set to zero before taking measurements of mass
• The specific heat capacity of water has a known value of 4200 J/kg/°C
• If the efficiency of the heater is less than 1 then the values obtained for specific heat capacity will be larger than expected
• Before this point the energy supplied is being used to heat the immersion heater itself
• Stir the ice water constantly whilst heating in experiment 2
• When the current or voltage values appear to be changing between two values next to one another then be consistent in choosing the higher value

Safety Considerations

• Make sure not to touch it, and have a heatproof mat ready to place it on
• Make sure that the immersion heater is connected to a direct current supply
• If you feel this is the case then use a clamp stand to hold both
• Wear goggle while heating water
• Make sure to stand up during the whole experiment, to react quickly to any spills

Although there is a lot of detail here, if you can begin any questions about this experiment by writing down the equation for specific heat capacity then you will have given yourself some clues about how best to proceedTaking a gradient is a more reliable way of determining an answer than just using a single value, so take time to understand the process of plotting graphs and using their gradients to make conclusions

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Specific Heat Capacity – Lab Report

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Collection of Physics Experiments

Comparing specific heat of water and vegetable oil, experiment number : 1770, goal of experiment.

The goal of this experiment is to compare specific heat capacities of sunflower oil and water.

Heat capacity is a physical quantity that determines the heat supplied to (resp. removed from) the body that causes heating (cooling) of the body by 1 K. It is denoted c and is defined as:

where Q is the heat that was supplied to (removed from) the body and Δ t is the temperature difference caused by supplying (removing) the heat. Heat capacity is a property of a particular subject. If the body is homogeneous, it can be written as:

where m is the mass of the body and c is the specific heat capacity of the substance from which the body is made.

Specific heat capacity determines the heat supplied to (removed from) the body that causes heating (cooling) of 1 kg of substance by 1 K; it is not a characteristic of a particular subject, but the material itself. Using the specific heat capacity, the heat supplied (removed) can be enumerated by combining equations (1) and (2) as follows:

The specific heat capacity expresses a “willingness” of a substance to change its temperature – the lower the value, the more easily the temperature changes.

Note : In the case of solids, an important role in the temperature increase is played also by thermal conductivity of the material. In this experiment, we will measure liquids, where the heat exchanges by convection and the influence of thermal conductivity is negligible.

Tools (Fig. 1)

Two identical containers, water ( c  ≐ 4200 J·kg -1 ·K -1 ), oil, balance, heat source (burner, cooker, etc.), two temperature sensors cooperating with the computer; laboratory stand (if necessary).

In the sample experiment we used cooking sunflower oil ( c  ≐ 2250 J·kg -1 ·K -1 ) and two Vernier TMP-BTA temperature sensors.

Fill one of the two identical containers with water and the second with oil of the same mass. The density of the oil is lower; therefore the oil has larger volume. (Fig. 2).

Place the containers above a burner or on a cooker so that they are both supplied with the same amount of heat, i.e. symmetrically around the flame of the burner or in the middle of the cooker plate.

Insert the temperature sensors in both containers. The arrangement of the experiment in different variations is shown in Figure 3.

Start the measurement and begin to heat both liquids. Observe the graph plotted by the computer.

Once one of the measured temperatures exceeds 80 °C, turn off the heat source and stop the measurement.

Sample result

After the measurement, we obtain the following graph of the temperature of oil and water vs. time:

Specific heat capacity describes a “willingness” of the substance to change its temperature – the higher the specific heat capacity is, the less “willing” the substance is to change its temperature. Because the oil warmed more than the water, its specific heat capacity is lower compared to water.

Detailed interpretation of graph in Sample result

As mentioned above, the graph in Fig. 4 gives us information that the oil is heated more than water during the measurement. Its specific heat capacity is therefore smaller. At first glance, it is obvious that if we ended the measurements for example at 90 seconds, we would obtain opposite result – at this time, water has a higher temperature. How to explain this strange contradiction?

If we repeat the experiment, we come to the conclusion that it is not a random measurement error – at the beginning of each measurement, the water begins to heat up more quickly and later on is “caught up” by the oil; clearly, this is a manifestation of a certain physical law.

The answer lies in the mechanism of heat exchange in liquids, which is mainly by convection. While water with low viscosity flows relatively easily, oil with a much larger viscosity circulates more slowly. Therefore, if we heat the bottom of the container, it takes a relatively long time before the heated oil rises from the bottom to the temperature sensor, which registers the temperature increase. For water, this process is significantly faster, therefore the temperature of water always starts to increase first and then it is followed by the (steeper) temperature increase of oil.

The above explanation can be experimentally demonstrated by submerging the temperature sensors to the bottom of the containers. In such an arrangement, the effect of different flow on the measured temperature fades out and oil heats up faster.

The explanation of the above stated phenomenon and proposing its experimental demonstration can serve as an interesting problem task for students.

Technical notes

The temperature sensors should not touch the walls and bottoms of the containers. It is recommended to place the sensors at the same height above the bottom.

It necessary to avoid that one container is closer to the heat source than the other – we need to ensure a uniform heating of both containers.

If we do not have temperature sensors that can be connected to a computer, we can use e.g. liquid thermometers and write down the temperatures every ten seconds.

Throughout the measurement it is necessary to be careful when working with the burner of the cooker!

If you work with a cooker, you need to realize that even after you turn it off, the plate is still hot and the temperature of the liquids still rises (in the case of oil it can exceed 100 °C)!

Be careful when disposing hot water and oil in the containers. N ever pour the hot oil into the waste! It is recommended to hand it over to Waste Disposal Service. In view of school practice it is also possible to let the oil cool down and store it for later use in lessons.

Pedagogical notes

If we tell the students the values of specific heat capacities before the measurement, we can ask them to construct a hypothesis about the result, or to draw a graph of temperature vs. time for both liquids.

It is also recommended to ensure that both liquids are of the same temperature before the measurement. This can be obtained by preparing both oil and water in the classroom an hour before the experiment.

We can inform the inquisitive students that specific heat capacity is slightly dependent on temperature – like the majority of other physical constants from all parts of physics.

The dynamic viscosity of a substance also depends on temperature. However, in this case the influence of temperature is more essential than it was in the previous case – for example when heating water from 0 °C to 100 °C, its dynamic viscosity decreases to less than one fifth of its original value. Also the dynamic viscosity of oil decreases quickly during the experiment.

List of table values

The specific heat capacity and viscosity of vegetal oils (among which our sunflower oil can be found) is described in the article Viscosity and specific heat of vegetable oils as a function of temperature: 35 °C to 180 °C .

A very extensive database of specific heat capacities is listed on the web page The Engineering ToolBox .