SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY MULTIMEDIA LAB: WORKSHEET

This worksheet has been designed for you to use while completing the Specific Heat Capacity Multimedia Element Lab. In addition to this worksheet, you will require a calculator and a pen or pencil.

EXPERIMENT 1: Finding the Specific Heat Capacity of copper:

Step 1: Recording Data:

WATER	COPPER	

Mass of water (in kg): m = _______

Starting temperature of the water: T1 = _____

Final temperature of the water: T2 = _____

Change in water temperature: 
ΔT = T2 - T1 = _________

Mass of the copper (in kg): m =_________

Starting temperature of the copper: T1 = _____

Final temperature of the copper: T2 = _____

Change in temperature of the copper:
ΔT = T2 - T1 = __________

Step 2: Calculating the amount of heat gained by the water:

Q = mcΔT              cwater = 4 200 J/kg·˚C

Using the values and the equation above, calculate the amount of heat gained by the water.

Step 3: Determining the amount of heat lost by the copper:

The heat lost by the copper will have the same magnitude as the heat gained by the water. A negative sign is used to indicate a loss of energy.

Heat energy lost by the copper: Q =_________
Step 4: Determining the Specific Heat Capacity of copper

Use the values you have recorded in Steps 1 and 3 and the equation below.

The specific heat capacity of copper is: _______________.

Step 5: Experiment 2: The Effect of Mass

What effect do you think doubling the mass of the copper sample used would have on the final temperature?

WATER	COPPER	

Mass of water (in kg): m = _______

Starting temperature of the water: T1 = _____

Final temperature of the water: T2 = _____

Change in water temperature: 
ΔT = T2 - T1 =________

	
Mass of the copper (in kg): m =______

Starting temperature of the copper: T1 = _____

Final temperature of the copper: T2 = _____

Change in temperature of the copper: 
ΔT = T2 - T1 = _________

	

What effect did doubling the mass of the copper sample used have on the final temperature?

Step 6: Experiment 3: The Effect of Changing the Temperature of the Copper

What effect do you think increasing the temperature of the copper by only half as much would have on the final temperature of the water?

WATER	COPPER	

Mass of water (in kg): m = _______

Starting temperature of the water: T1 = _____

Final temperature of the water: T2 = _____

Change in water temperature: 
ΔT = T2 - T1 =________

	
Mass of the copper (in kg): m =______

Starting temperature of the copper: T1 = _____

Final temperature of the copper: T2 = _____

Change in temperature of the copper: 
ΔT = T2 - T1 = _________

	

What effect did increasing the temperature of the copper by only half as much have on the final temperature of the water?