specific heat lab experiment

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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Specific Heat Capacity Test: The Method of Mixture

1.0 introduction.

The method of mixture is used almost universally by scientists as a quick, easy, and semi-accurate specific heat test for a solid sample, but what makes this method extra special is the fact that it’s so simple that high school students around the world perform it as a hands-on example of how the specific heat capacities of materials are a part of the world around us. This very same experiment can be done with very expensive equipment in a high-tech lab, or in a home kitchen with some glassware, and the only difference will be the accuracy of the results, which can be improved by repeating the experiment and using the average of the results.

The biggest factor in the accuracy of your results will be the quality of calorimeter you are using. Calorimeters are used to measure the heat transfer from a sample into a container of water. Calorimeters can now be found in a few different and very complicated forms in professional labs, but we will be focused on the simple crucible model, as that is what fits the needs of this experiment.

A calorimeter of this sort has a dry inner chamber for the sample, (a crucible), the walls of which are made of a material with a high thermal conductance. The middle chamber is filled with the water that will have its temperature measured with a built-in thermometer probe. Most calorimeters will also have a built-in stir rod to speed up reactions and heat transfers. On the other side of the middle chambers thin walls will be an air gap, and then a thick layer of insulating material.

Professional calorimeters are designed this way to prevent heat from escaping as much as possible and they are often very expensive, but amateur, homemade, versions can be accurate enough for some uses. For example, if you nest two Styrofoam cups will make a water chamber followed by an air gap, then an insulating layer, as an inferior version of almost the same design of those that can be purchased.

2.0 Background Information and Relevant Equations

2.1 background information.

It is important to note that in this experiment, the better insulated your calorimeter is, the more accurate your results will be. Loss of heat by conduction is the main cause of error in this experiment.

The theory behind this specific heat test is based on the conservation of energy. Heat is a form of energy , and in this case, it will be transferred between the sample and water. We will be measuring the change in temperature of the water in the calorimeter, which lets us calculate the change in heat of the water in the calorimeter, which we know to be equal and opposite to the change in heat of the sample. It should now be becoming clear how convenient this specific heat capacity test is, because the only thing to do once the experiment is on the way, is to measure is the change in temperature of the water, which is an indirect measurement of the change in heat of the solid.

2.2 Relevant Equations

Change in heat.

Q = change in heat

c = specific heat capacity

ΔT = change in temperature

Conservation of energy

Q w = – Q s

Q w = change in heat of water

Q s = change in heat of sample

3.0 Materials, Experimental Set Up and Procedure

3.1 materials.

• Thermometer
• Glassware stand with a test tube grip arm
• Calorimeter

3.2 Experimental Setup

• Put the sample in a test tube.
• Attach the arm to the stand so it’s capable of gripping the test tube in place vertically, several inches above to tabletop.
• Prepare some distilled water.
• Set your hot plate to around 105 degrees Celsius.

3.3 Procedure

Measure the mass of the sample (m s ), and then weigh a beaker, then mostly fill the beaker with distilled water, weigh it again. Then to find the mass of the volume of distilled water (m w ), subtract the mass of the beaker from the combined mass of the beaker and water. Then pour that water in the calorimeter and set that aside for a time to ensure the water reaches ambient temperature, then measure its temperature (T i w ).

Fill the beaker with water again and set it on a hot plate until it reaches boiling, and keep the temperature steady, at just above boiling, measure that temperature, and record it as the initial temperature of the sample (T i s ).

Set up the glassware stand so that it is holding the test tube with the sample so that the length of the tube containing the sample is completely submerged in the boiling water. Leave this for at least ten minutes so that the sample will be heated evenly. Make sure the tube isn’t touching the sides or bottom of the glass.

When you are confident that the sample is heated evenly, disconnect the test tube from the stand and pour the sample into the calorimeter and shut the lid. Do this as quickly as you can while still being careful as to minimize the time the sample spends in contact with the air. Be sure to prevent any water that was adhering to the test tube from dripping into the calorimeter.

Keep close watch over the temperature in the calorimeter, and when it stops increasing, record it as the final temperature of both the water and the sample (T f w = T f s ).

4.0 Calculations and Comparisons

4.1 calculations.

Combing the equations for the change in heat,

With the principle of conservation of energy,

c w m w ΔT w = c s m s ΔT s

Which we can re-arrange to find the specific heat of the sample

c s = – c w m w ΔT w / (m s ΔT s )

4.2 Comparisons

You can compare the result of the specific heat of your material with our thorough database, generated in our professional laboratory.

https://thermtest.com/materials-database

5.0 Conclusion

This experiment is an extremely quick and relatively precise specific heat capacity test for a solid sample. Anyone with access to a kitchen can do a form of this experiment and become a thermal physicist.

‘Theory of Heat’ – Maxwell, James Clerk – page 57-67 – Westport, Conn., Greenwood Press – 1970 : https://archive.org/details/theoryheat04maxwgoog/page/n77

Talks about conservation of heat, the form and function of calorimeters, Method of Mixture

‘The Edinburgh Encyclopedia Conducted by David Brewster’ , with the assistance of gentlemen eminent in science and literature the first American edition – Published by Joseph and Edward Parker in 1832 – page 294 : http://bit.ly/2Lz2vdN

This is a discussion of Dr Joseph Black’s and Dr William Irvine groundbreaking discovery of specific heat capacity.

Dr. Joseph Black’s and Dr William Irvine’s original work on the concept of heat was published posthumously by the efforts of Dr John Robinso, as Dr. Black did not want to take the time away from his teachings to publish it. Below is a version of that research. Every version I found is behind a paywall.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/amb.1978.25.3.176 published by Arthur Donovan in 2013

6.0 Save a Few Dollars

The entirety of this experiment can be made at home, save for a thermometer, by switching out the lab equipment with regular kitchen ware.

6.1 Calorimeter

You can make your own calorimeter by nesting two styrofoam cups and crafting a lid out of a third. Notice that nesting the cups will make a water chamber followed by an air gap, then an insulating layer, like in a professional calorimeter. Be sure to include a hole in the lid for the thermometer. You could also use a normal thermos as a calorimeter, as they are also designed to heavily reduce heat transfer of the interior with the surroundings.

6.2 Beaker and hot plate

You can just boil a pot of water on a stovetop, in place of the beaker and the hot plate.

6.3 Test Tube and Stand

You can use a pair of tongs as a replacement for a test tube, (as long as your sample is in one solid piece), preferably made of a plastic that won’t melt, so it won’t absorb to much heat, and the handle won’t get too hot. Be very careful and use thick oven mitts if you plan on holding it submersed in the boiling water for 10 minutes.

7.0 Notes on the Sample

7.1 size and shape.

Note that the more surface area your sample has in relation to its mass, the more likely it will be heated evenly. The more mass your sample is, however, the more heat it will absorb and the give off, meaning the result will be more accurate. One way to account for both traits is for your sample to be in a lot of smaller pieces instead of one big piece.

7.2 Non-homogeneous samples

If your sample is non-homogeneous, then the rule of mixtures can allow you to find the specific heat of one component if you know that of the others, or their relative masses if you know all the specific heats.

Author: Cole Boucher, Junior Technical Writer at Thermtest

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11.2 Heat, Specific Heat, and Heat Transfer

Section learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

• Explain heat, heat capacity, and specific heat
• Distinguish between conduction, convection, and radiation
• Solve problems involving specific heat and heat transfer

Teacher Support

The learning objectives in this section will help your students master the following standards:

• (F) contrast and give examples of different processes of thermal energy transfer, including conduction, convection, and radiation.

Section Key Terms

[BL] [OL] [AL] Review concepts of heat, temperature, and mass.

[AL] Check prior knowledge of conduction and convection.

Heat Transfer, Specific Heat, and Heat Capacity

We learned in the previous section that temperature is proportional to the average kinetic energy of atoms and molecules in a substance, and that the average internal kinetic energy of a substance is higher when the substance’s temperature is higher.

If two objects at different temperatures are brought in contact with each other, energy is transferred from the hotter object (that is, the object with the greater temperature) to the colder (lower temperature) object, until both objects are at the same temperature. There is no net heat transfer once the temperatures are equal because the amount of heat transferred from one object to the other is the same as the amount of heat returned. One of the major effects of heat transfer is temperature change: Heating increases the temperature while cooling decreases it. Experiments show that the heat transferred to or from a substance depends on three factors—the change in the substance’s temperature, the mass of the substance, and certain physical properties related to the phase of the substance.

The equation for heat transfer Q is

where m is the mass of the substance and Δ T is the change in its temperature, in units of Celsius or Kelvin. The symbol c stands for specific heat , and depends on the material and phase. The specific heat is the amount of heat necessary to change the temperature of 1.00 kg of mass by 1.00 ºC. The specific heat c is a property of the substance; its SI unit is J/(kg ⋅ ⋅ K) or J/(kg ⋅ ⋅ °C °C ). The temperature change ( Δ T Δ T ) is the same in units of kelvins and degrees Celsius (but not degrees Fahrenheit). Specific heat is closely related to the concept of heat capacity . Heat capacity is the amount of heat necessary to change the temperature of a substance by 1.00 °C °C . In equation form, heat capacity C is C = m c C = m c , where m is mass and c is specific heat. Note that heat capacity is the same as specific heat, but without any dependence on mass. Consequently, two objects made up of the same material but with different masses will have different heat capacities. This is because the heat capacity is a property of an object, but specific heat is a property of any object made of the same material.

Values of specific heat must be looked up in tables, because there is no simple way to calculate them. Table 11.2 gives the values of specific heat for a few substances as a handy reference. We see from this table that the specific heat of water is five times that of glass, which means that it takes five times as much heat to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water than to raise the temperature of 1 kg of glass by the same number of degrees.

[BL] [OL] [AL] Explain that this formula only works when there is no change in phase of the substance. The transfer of thermal energy, heat, and phase change will be covered later in the chapter.

Misconception Alert

The units of specific heat are J/(kg ⋅ °C ⋅ °C ) and J/(kg ⋅ ⋅ K). However, degrees Celsius and Kelvins are not always interchangeable. The formula for specific heat uses a difference in temperature and not absolute temperature. This is the reason that degrees Celsius may be used in place of Kelvins.

Temperature Change of Land and Water

What heats faster, land or water? You will answer this question by taking measurements to study differences in specific heat capacity.

• Open flame—Tie back all loose hair and clothing before igniting an open flame. Follow all of your teacher's instructions on how to ignite the flame. Never leave an open flame unattended. Know the location of fire safety equipment in the laboratory.
• Sand or soil
• Oven or heat lamp
• Two small jars
• Two thermometers

Instructions

• Place equal masses of dry sand (or soil) and water at the same temperature into two small jars. (The average density of soil or sand is about 1.6 times that of water, so you can get equal masses by using 50 percent more water by volume.)
• Heat both substances (using an oven or a heat lamp) for the same amount of time.
• Record the final temperatures of the two masses.
• Now bring both jars to the same temperature by heating for a longer period of time.
• Remove the jars from the heat source and measure their temperature every 5 minutes for about 30 minutes.
• The pond will reach 0 °C first because of water’s greater specific heat.
• The field will reach 0 °C first because of soil’s lower specific heat.
• They will reach 0° C at the same time because they are exposed to the same weather.
• The water will take longer to heat as well as to cool. This tells us that the specific heat of water is greater than that of land.

Conduction, Convection, and Radiation

Whenever there is a temperature difference, heat transfer occurs. Heat transfer may happen rapidly, such as through a cooking pan, or slowly, such as through the walls of an insulated cooler.

There are three different heat transfer methods: conduction , convection , and radiation . At times, all three may happen simultaneously. See Figure 11.3 .

Conduction is heat transfer through direct physical contact. Heat transferred between the electric burner of a stove and the bottom of a pan is transferred by conduction. Sometimes, we try to control the conduction of heat to make ourselves more comfortable. Since the rate of heat transfer is different for different materials, we choose fabrics, such as a thick wool sweater, that slow down the transfer of heat away from our bodies in winter.

As you walk barefoot across the living room carpet, your feet feel relatively comfortable…until you step onto the kitchen’s tile floor. Since the carpet and tile floor are both at the same temperature, why does one feel colder than the other? This is explained by different rates of heat transfer: The tile material removes heat from your skin at a greater rate than the carpeting, which makes it feel colder.

[BL] [OL] [AL] Ask students what the current temperature in the classroom is. Ask them if all the objects in the room are at the same temperature. Once this is established, ask them to place their hand on their desk or on a metal object. Does it feel colder? Why? If their desk is Formica laminate, then it will feel cool to their hand because the laminate is a good conductor of heat and draws heat from their hand creating a sensation of “cold” due to heat leaving the body.

Some materials simply conduct thermal energy faster than others. In general, metals (like copper, aluminum, gold, and silver) are good heat conductors, whereas materials like wood, plastic, and rubber are poor heat conductors.

Figure 11.4 shows particles (either atoms or molecules) in two bodies at different temperatures. The (average) kinetic energy of a particle in the hot body is higher than in the colder body. If two particles collide, energy transfers from the particle with greater kinetic energy to the particle with less kinetic energy. When two bodies are in contact, many particle collisions occur, resulting in a net flux of heat from the higher-temperature body to the lower-temperature body. The heat flux depends on the temperature difference Δ T = T hot − T cold Δ T = T hot − T cold . Therefore, you will get a more severe burn from boiling water than from hot tap water.

Convection is heat transfer by the movement of a fluid. This type of heat transfer happens, for example, in a pot boiling on the stove, or in thunderstorms, where hot air rises up to the base of the clouds.

Tips For Success

In everyday language, the term fluid is usually taken to mean liquid. For example, when you are sick and the doctor tells you to “push fluids,” that only means to drink more beverages—not to breath more air. However, in physics, fluid means a liquid or a gas . Fluids move differently than solid material, and even have their own branch of physics, known as fluid dynamics , that studies how they move.

As the temperature of fluids increase, they expand and become less dense. For example, Figure 11.4 could represent the wall of a balloon with different temperature gases inside the balloon than outside in the environment. The hotter and thus faster moving gas particles inside the balloon strike the surface with more force than the cooler air outside, causing the balloon to expand. This decrease in density relative to its environment creates buoyancy (the tendency to rise). Convection is driven by buoyancy—hot air rises because it is less dense than the surrounding air.

Sometimes, we control the temperature of our homes or ourselves by controlling air movement. Sealing leaks around doors with weather stripping keeps out the cold wind in winter. The house in Figure 11.5 and the pot of water on the stove in Figure 11.6 are both examples of convection and buoyancy by human design. Ocean currents and large-scale atmospheric circulation transfer energy from one part of the globe to another, and are examples of natural convection.

Radiation is a form of heat transfer that occurs when electromagnetic radiation is emitted or absorbed. Electromagnetic radiation includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays, all of which have different wavelengths and amounts of energy (shorter wavelengths have higher frequency and more energy).

[BL] [OL] Electromagnetic waves are also often referred to as EM waves. We perceive EM waves of different frequencies differently. Just as we are able to see certain frequencies as visible light, we perceive certain others as heat.

You can feel the heat transfer from a fire and from the sun. Similarly, you can sometimes tell that the oven is hot without touching its door or looking inside—it may just warm you as you walk by. Another example is thermal radiation from the human body; people are constantly emitting infrared radiation, which is not visible to the human eye, but is felt as heat.

Radiation is the only method of heat transfer where no medium is required, meaning that the heat doesn’t need to come into direct contact with or be transported by any matter. The space between Earth and the sun is largely empty, without any possibility of heat transfer by convection or conduction. Instead, heat is transferred by radiation, and Earth is warmed as it absorbs electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun.

All objects absorb and emit electromagnetic radiation (see Figure 11.7 ). The rate of heat transfer by radiation depends mainly on the color of the object. Black is the most effective absorber and radiator, and white is the least effective. People living in hot climates generally avoid wearing black clothing, for instance. Similarly, black asphalt in a parking lot will be hotter than adjacent patches of grass on a summer day, because black absorbs better than green. The reverse is also true—black radiates better than green. On a clear summer night, the black asphalt will be colder than the green patch of grass, because black radiates energy faster than green. In contrast, white is a poor absorber and also a poor radiator. A white object reflects nearly all radiation, like a mirror.

Ask students to give examples of conduction, convection, and radiation.

Virtual Physics

Energy forms and changes.

In this animation, you will explore heat transfer with different materials. Experiment with heating and cooling the iron, brick, and water. This is done by dragging and dropping the object onto the pedestal and then holding the lever either to Heat or Cool. Drag a thermometer beside each object to measure its temperature—you can watch how quickly it heats or cools in real time.

Now let’s try transferring heat between objects. Heat the brick and then place it in the cool water. Now heat the brick again, but then place it on top of the iron. What do you notice?

Selecting the fast forward option lets you speed up the heat transfers, to save time.

• Water will take the longest, and iron will take the shortest time to heat, as well as to cool. Objects with greater specific heat would be desirable for insulation. For instance, woolen clothes with large specific heat would prevent heat loss from the body.
• Water will take the shortest, and iron will take the longest time to heat, as well as to cool. Objects with greater specific heat would be desirable for insulation. For instance, woolen clothes with large specific heat would prevent heat loss from the body.
• Brick will take shortest and iron will take longest time to heat up as well as to cool down. Objects with greater specific heat would be desirable for insulation. For instance, woolen clothes with large specific heat would prevent heat loss from the body.
• Water will take shortest and brick will take longest time to heat up as well as to cool down. Objects with greater specific heat would be desirable for insulation. For instance, woolen clothes with large specific heat would prevent heat loss from the body.

Have students consider the differences in the interactive exercise results if different materials were used. For example, ask them whether the temperature change would be greater or smaller if the brick were replaced with a block of iron with the same mass as the brick. Ask students to consider identical masses of the metals aluminum, gold, and copper. After they have stated whether the temperature change is greater or less for each metal, have them refer to Table 11.2 and check whether their predictions were correct.

Solving Heat Transfer Problems

Worked example, calculating the required heat: heating water in an aluminum pan.

A 0.500 kg aluminum pan on a stove is used to heat 0.250 L of water from 20.0 °C °C to 80.0 °C °C . (a) How much heat is required? What percentage of the heat is used to raise the temperature of (b) the pan and (c) the water?

The pan and the water are always at the same temperature. When you put the pan on the stove, the temperature of the water and the pan is increased by the same amount. We use the equation for heat transfer for the given temperature change and masses of water and aluminum. The specific heat values for water and aluminum are given in the previous table.

Because the water is in thermal contact with the aluminum, the pan and the water are at the same temperature.

• Calculate the temperature difference. Δ T = T f − T i = 60.0 °C Δ T = T f − T i = 60.0 °C 11.8
• Calculate the mass of water using the relationship between density, mass, and volume. Density is mass per unit volume, or ρ = m V ρ = m V . Rearranging this equation, solve for the mass of water. m w = ρ ⋅ V = 1000  kg/m 3 × ( 0 .250 L× 0 .001 m 3 1 L ) =0 .250 kg m w = ρ ⋅ V = 1000  kg/m 3 × ( 0 .250 L× 0 .001 m 3 1 L ) =0 .250 kg 11.9
• Calculate the heat transferred to the water. Use the specific heat of water in the previous table. Q w = m w c w Δ T =   ( 0.250  kg ) ( 4186 J/kg °C ) ( 60 .0 °C )  = 62 .8 kJ Q w = m w c w Δ T =   ( 0.250  kg ) ( 4186 J/kg °C ) ( 60 .0 °C )  = 62 .8 kJ 11.10
• Calculate the heat transferred to the aluminum. Use the specific heat for aluminum in the previous table. Q A l = m A l c A l Δ T =   ( 0.500  kg ) ( 900 J/kg °C ) ( 60 .0 °C )  = 27 .0 ×10 3 J = 27 .0 kJ Q A l = m A l c A l Δ T =   ( 0.500  kg ) ( 900 J/kg °C ) ( 60 .0 °C )  = 27 .0 ×10 3 J = 27 .0 kJ 11.11
• Find the total transferred heat. Q T o t a l = Q w + Q A l = 62 .8 kJ + 27 .0 kJ = 89 .8 kJ Q T o t a l = Q w + Q A l = 62 .8 kJ + 27 .0 kJ = 89 .8 kJ 11.12

The percentage of heat going into heating the pan is

The percentage of heat going into heating the water is

In this example, most of the total heat transferred is used to heat the water, even though the pan has twice as much mass. This is because the specific heat of water is over four times greater than the specific heat of aluminum. Therefore, it takes a bit more than twice as much heat to achieve the given temperature change for the water than for the aluminum pan.

Water can absorb a tremendous amount of energy with very little resulting temperature change. This property of water allows for life on Earth because it stabilizes temperatures. Other planets are less habitable because wild temperature swings make for a harsh environment. You may have noticed that climates closer to large bodies of water, such as oceans, are milder than climates landlocked in the middle of a large continent. This is due to the climate-moderating effect of water’s large heat capacity—water stores large amounts of heat during hot weather and releases heat gradually when it’s cold outside.

Calculating Temperature Increase: Truck Brakes Overheat on Downhill Runs

When a truck headed downhill brakes, the brakes must do work to convert the gravitational potential energy of the truck to internal energy of the brakes. This conversion prevents the gravitational potential energy from being converted into kinetic energy of the truck, and keeps the truck from speeding up and losing control. The increased internal energy of the brakes raises their temperature. When the hill is especially steep, the temperature increase may happen too quickly and cause the brakes to overheat.

Calculate the temperature increase of 100 kg of brake material with an average specific heat of 800 J/kg ⋅ °C ⋅ °C from a 10,000 kg truck descending 75.0 m (in vertical displacement) at a constant speed.

We first calculate the gravitational potential energy ( Mgh ) of the truck, and then find the temperature increase produced in the brakes.

• Calculate the change in gravitational potential energy as the truck goes downhill. M g h = ( 10 , 000  kg ) (9 .80 m/s 2 ) ( 75 .0 m ) = 7.35 × 10 6 J M g h = ( 10 , 000  kg ) (9 .80 m/s 2 ) ( 75 .0 m ) = 7.35 × 10 6 J 11.15

where m is the mass of the brake material (not the entire truck). Insert the values Q = 7.35×10 6 J (since the heat transfer is equal to the change in gravitational potential energy), m = = 100 kg, and c = = 800 J/kg ⋅ ⋅ °C °C to find

This temperature is close to the boiling point of water. If the truck had been traveling for some time, then just before the descent, the brake temperature would likely be higher than the ambient temperature. The temperature increase in the descent would likely raise the temperature of the brake material above the boiling point of water, which would be hard on the brakes. This is why truck drivers sometimes use a different technique for called “engine braking” to avoid burning their brakes during steep descents. Engine braking is using the slowing forces of an engine in low gear rather than brakes to slow down.

Practice Problems

How much heat does it take to raise the temperature of 10.0 kg of water by 1.0 °C ?

Calculate the change in temperature of 1.0 kg of water that is initially at room temperature if 3.0 kJ of heat is added.

Check Your Understanding

Use these questions to assess student achievement of the section’s learning objectives. If students are struggling with a specific objective, these questions will help identify which and direct students to the relevant content.

• The mass difference between two objects causes heat transfer.
• The density difference between two objects causes heat transfer.
• The temperature difference between two systems causes heat transfer.
• The pressure difference between two objects causes heat transfer.
• The overall direction of heat transfer is from the higher-temperature object to the lower-temperature object.
• The overall direction of heat transfer is from the lower-temperature object to the higher-temperature object.
• The direction of heat transfer is first from the lower-temperature object to the higher-temperature object, then back again to the lower-temperature object, and so-forth, until the objects are in thermal equilibrium.
• The direction of heat transfer is first from the higher-temperature object to the lower-temperature object, then back again to the higher-temperature object, and so-forth, until the objects are in thermal equilibrium.
• conduction, radiation, and reflection
• conduction, reflection, and convection
• convection, radiation, and reflection
• conduction, radiation, and convection

True or false—Conduction and convection cannot happen simultaneously

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Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute Texas Education Agency (TEA). The original material is available at: https://www.texasgateway.org/book/tea-physics . Changes were made to the original material, including updates to art, structure, and other content updates.

Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/physics/pages/1-introduction

• Authors: Paul Peter Urone, Roger Hinrichs
• Publisher/website: OpenStax
• Book title: Physics
• Publication date: Mar 26, 2020
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/physics/pages/1-introduction
• Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/physics/pages/11-2-heat-specific-heat-and-heat-transfer

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Specific heat.

Students use a temperature sensor to experimentally determine the identity of a metal based on its specific heat capacity.

Supports NGSS Performance Expectation HS-PS3-1: Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.

Grade Level: High School

Subject: Chemistry

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Combining equal masses of the same substance with different temperatures will produce a mixture with a temperature that is an average of the two samples. Will...

Featured Equipment

Calorimetry Cups (6)

Set of six polystyrene calorimeter cups for beginning calorimetry.

Specific Heat Set

Has five different materials, all having approximately the same mass (80g).

Wireless Temperature Sensor with Display

The Wireless Temperature Sensor with display is a general-purpose sensor useful in many science labs. With a rugged, water resistant design and rechargeable lithium ion battery, students can get spot reads from the display or auto collect data to a device to study trends.

Wireless Temperature Sensor

The Wireless Temperature Sensor is a general-purpose sensor found in many science labs. With a rugged, waterproof design and a long-lasting battery, students can spend more time collecting data and less time dealing with equipment.

Essential Chemistry Starter Lab Kit

This Starter Lab Station includes the wireless temperature, conductivity, pressure, and pH sensors to perform key lab activities from the Essential Chemistry Student Lab Manual.

Many lab activities can be conducted with our Wireless , PASPORT , or even ScienceWorkshop sensors and equipment. For assistance with substituting compatible instruments, contact PASCO Technical Support . We're here to help. Copyright © 2018 PASCO

Source Collection: Lab #02

Source Collection: Lab #09

Essential Chemistry Teacher Lab Manual

More experiments.

High School

• Pure Substances and Mixtures
• Heat of Fusion
• Lewis structures and VSEPR
• Single Replacement Reactions
• Lemon Battery
• Significant Figures