Relevant Resource questions :

Concepts demonstrated

• Specific heat

Equipment needed :

• 500 ml beaker
• retort stand and wire gauze
• bunsen burner and matches
• 3 x 100 ml beakers
• 3 thermometers
• Aluminium (Al), Copper (Cu) and Lead (Pb)
• CCD camera

• Heat water in a 500 ml beaker on the retort stand.
• Place the three metals in the hot (or boiling) water such that they reach equilibrium.
• Place one of each metal in each of the small 100 ml beakers and measure the change (increase) in temperature.

  *** Question: Are the masses of the three metals the same to give different T or are the masses different to give the same T ? The first is better. ***

None.

Physics involved :

Different materials have different values for specific heat.

How to use the Demonstration :

• Perform the demonstration, record all variables and calculate the increase in temperature for the water in each of the three small beakers.
• Get the class to calculate the temperature changes theoretically and compare.

• Aluminium foil in an oven (on garlic bread). It has very low specific heat.
• A metal saucepan on the stove has very high specific heat.

• Use the computer with thermocouples as the display.
• Prepare equal masses of these metals.

• Need CCD camera for a visible display of the thermometer temperatures.