GCSE Physics required practical activity 1:
Specific heat capacity
Teachers’ notes
Required practical activity Apparatus and techniques
An investigation to determine the specific heat capacity of one AT 1, AT 5
or more materials. The investigation will involve linking the
decrease of one energy store (or work done) to the increase in
temperature and subsequent increase in thermal energy
stored.
What is the specific heat capacity of copper?
Materials
In addition to access to general laboratory equipment, each student
needs: V
12V
• 1 kg copper, iron and aluminium metal blocks, each with two holes
– one for the heater and one for the thermometer A
• thermometer
• pipette to put water in the thermometer hole
• 30 W, 12 V heater and power supply
• insulation to wrap around the blocks
• ammeter and voltmeter
• 4mm leads
• stop watch or stop clock
• balance (capable of measuring more than 1 kg) to determine the
mass of the blocks.
Technical information
The method involves using the electric heaters to raise the temperature of the blocks. You may
have blocks made for this experiment. The blocks usually have a mass of 1 kg and have holes that
fit the heater and the thermometer. The heaters fit snugly but there is usually an air gap around the
thermometer. A drop of water provides a better thermal contact. The blocks should be lagged to
reduce heat loss to the surroundings.
The students will switch on the power supply and measure the current and potential difference.
This is to obtain the power of the heater (power = IV) which should remain constant. Typically the
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heaters are either about 30 W or 50 W. The students can be told the power of the heater rather
than measure it if preferred. The students measure and record the temperature of the block every
minute for about 10 minutes. They then plot a graph of temperature against work done by the
heater.
There is some thermal inertia as the block warms up so the beginning of the student’s graphs will
not be linear if they start timing from when they switch on.
The student work sheet suggests comparing the specific heat capacities of three metals –
aluminium, copper and iron. If you don’t have all three types of block, the experiment can become
a simple measurement of one of them.
Additional information
The heat capacity of a substance is the work done raising the temperature of the substance by
1 kelvin. Usually this is changed to 1°C, although 1 celsius degree would be more correct. Heat
capacity depends upon the mass of substance. If it is measured for unit mass (ie 1 kg) it is called
the specific heat capacity.
The students obtain values for current and potential difference (to work out the power), time and
temperature. From the power and time they can work out the energy supplied, or work done by the
heater. A graph of temperature against work done should be a straight line once the block has
warmed a bit. Students use the gradient of this line and the mass of the block to work out the
specific heat capacity. Having blocks of different materials allows students to see that specific heat
capacities vary significantly, even between metals.
Metal Copper Aluminium Iron Lead
Specific heat
385 913 500 126
capacity (J kg-1 K-1)
Using a 30 W heater for 10 minutes provides 30 × 60 × 10 = 18 000 J
This would be sufficient to raise the temperature of 1 kg of copper from room temperature to about
70 °C, aluminium to about 40 °C and iron to 55 °C. This supports the idea that 10 minutes is an
adequate length of time for the experiment.
Risk assessment
• Risk assessment and risk management are the responsibility of the centre.
• The mains leads of the power supplies should be checked. The heater connections should
also be checked. They will also get hot, particularly if left on without being in contact with the
blocks.
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Trialling
The practical should be trialled before use with students.
Alternative practicals
Outline method Suggested apparatus Outcomes
(a)The specific heat capacity Cardboard tube, about 50 cm Work is done on the lead shot
of lead shot. to 100 cm long, sealed at one as you turn the tube over. This
end and with a cap or bung to is transferred to thermal
Measure the temperature of
seal the other once the lead is energy when the lead hits the
some lead shot. Put it in a
in. bottom of the tube.
long tube and seal it. Turn the
tube upside down so that the About 500 g of lead shot. The work done = mass of lead
lead falls to the other end of × g × length of tube × number
Plastic cup to hold the shot.
the tube. Make sure the lead of turns.
drops rather than slides. Thermometer
The specific heat capacity =
Repeat so that the lead drops Ruler (to measure the length the work done/(mass of lead ×
the length of the tube 40 of the tube). the temperature rise)
times. Pour out the lead and
measure its temperature Balance (to measure the mass (Notice that the mass
straight away. Avoid handling of the lead – although you cancels).
the shot. don’t need to).
The temperature rise using a 1
metre tube, turned 40 times =
10 × 1 × 40/126 = 3 degrees.
(b) It is not recommended to Copper coin at 0 °C (eg placed The hot water warms up the
put hot metal into water. in an ice/water mix). copper, the copper cools the
water and they reach an
You could try putting a cold Insulated plastic cup (not a
equilibrium temperature.
coin (eg at 0 °C) into 100 ml copper calorimeter) with lid
hot water (at 80 °C) and and hole for thermometer, A 20 g copper coin put into
measuring the equilibrium measuring cylinder and hot 100 ml of 80 °C water: the
temperature. water. Tongs to handle the mixture would reach about 70
°
coin. C if there were no energy
losses.
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GCSE Physics required practical activity 1:
Specific heat capacity
Student sheet
Required practical activity Apparatus and techniques
An investigation to determine the specific heat capacity of one AT 1, AT 5
or more materials. The investigation will involve linking the
decrease of one energy store (or work done) to the increase in
temperature and subsequent increase in thermal energy
stored.
What is the specific heat capacity of copper?
In this investigation you will heat up a block of copper using an electric heater. You will measure
the mass, the work done by the heater and the temperature. You will plot a graph of temperature
against work done and use the gradient of this graph, and the mass of the block, to determine the
specific heat capacity of copper.
Learning outcomes
Teachers to add these with particular reference to working scientifically
Method
You are provided with the following:
• copper block wrapped in insulation, with two holes for a thermometer and heater
• thermometer
• pipette to put water in the thermometer hole
• 30 W, 12 V heater and power supply
• insulation to wrap around the blocks
• ammeter and voltmeter
• five 4 mm leads
• stop watch or stop clock
• balance
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You should read these instructions carefully before you start work.
1. Measure and record the mass of the copper block, in kg.
2. Place a heater in the larger hole in the block. Connect the ammeter,
power pack and heater in series. V
3. Connect the voltmeter across the power pack. 12V
4. Put a small amount of water in the other hole using the pipette. A
5. Put the thermometer in this hole.
6. Switch the power pack to 12 V and switch it on.
7. Record the ammeter and voltmeter readings. These shouldn’t
change during the experiment.
8. Measure the temperature and switch on the stop clock.
9. Record the temperature every minute for 10 minutes. Your results
table will need three columns. Notice that the time is measured in
seconds, so the column will go 0, 60, 120, etc.
Time in seconds Work done in J Temperature in °C
10. Calculate the power of the heater in watts. To do this, multiply the ammeter reading by the
voltmeter reading.
11. Calculate the work done by the heater. To do this, multiply the time in seconds by the power of
the heater.
Temperature in °C
Work done in J
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12. Plot a graph of temperature in oC against work done in J.
13. Draw a line of best fit. Take care as the beginning of the graph may be curved.
14. Calculate the gradient of the straight part of your graph.
15. The heat capacity of the block is 1/gradient.
16. The specific heat capacity is the heat capacity divided by the mass of the block in kg. Work out
the specific heat capacity of the material of the block.
17. If you can, repeat this experiment for other blocks such as aluminium and iron. There is a
suggestion that if metal blocks have the same mass, the bigger the volume: the bigger the
specific heat capacity. Is this true for the blocks you tested?
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