Lab: Thermal Energy Transfer

Student Guide

Pre-Lab Information
Purpose Explore the process of thermal energy transfer using a laboratory procedure.
Time Approximately 45 minutes
Question How do mass and type of material affect thermal energy transfer?

Hypothesis #1 Different masses will change temperature at different rates when exposed to the same
amount of thermal energy. This is because the amount of mass affects an object’s ability
to absorb thermal energy.
Variables Independent Variable: mass of the substance
Dependent Variable: amount of heat absorbed
Controlled Factors: type of substance, initial temperature

Hypothesis #2 Different materials will change temperature at different rates when exposed to the same
amount of thermal energy. This is because each substance has its own specific heat.
Variables Independent Variable: type of substance
Dependent Variable: amount of heat absorbed
Controlled Factors: mass, initial temperature

Summary In Part I of the experiment, students will determine how changing the mass of a given
material affects thermal energy transfer by observing the amount of heat absorbed, as
indicated by a temperature change. Students will also compare how different materials
transfer and absorb thermal energy, and provide qualitative observations on their
experimental results.
In Part II, students will explore how different materials of the same mass, such as
aluminum, steel, and lead, transfer different amounts of thermal energy. Then, the
specific heat capacities of these three substances will be calculated and compared, using
the equation below.

Safety
 Always wear a lab coat, gloves, and safety goggles when performing an experiment. Wearing gloves is
very important when handling metal samples, especially lead if used.
 Behavior in the lab needs to be purposeful. Use caution when heating and cooling substances.
 Use the right gear, such as tongs and thermal mitts, to handle hot objects.
 Check glassware, such as beakers and flasks, for cracks and chips prior to use.
 Report all accidents—no matter how big or small—to your teacher.
 Student Guide (continued)

Lab Procedure
Step 1: Gather materials.

 300 g of dry sand  Pencils

 300 g of wet sand, drained  Stir sticks
 Tap water (room temperature)  500 mL beaker
 Utility knife  1 L beaker
 9 foam coffee cups (16 oz.)  50 g of aluminum wire
 Mass balance  50 g of steel wire
 3 thermometers  50 g of lead pellets
 1 or 2 120W heat lamps  Wire cutters
 Timer (or clock)  Tongs
 Hot plate  Long-handled strainer or spoon

PART I: Examining the Effect of Material and Mass on Thermal Energy Transfer

Step 2: Set up samples to examine thermal energy transfer with varying material and mass.

a) Trim off the bottom half of three foam cups. Place an empty trimmed cup on the mass
balance and tare for zero. Add water to the cup until the total mass reads 200 g. Repeat for
the other two cups, filling one with 200 g of wet sand and one with 200 g of dry sand.

b) Trim three more foam cups to half size. Place an empty trimmed cup on the mass balance
and tare for zero. Add water to the cup until the total mass reads 100 g. Repeat for the other
two cups, filling one with 100 g of wet sand and one with 100 g of dry sand.

c) The three material types should be room temperature, but place a thermometer in each cup,
allow the reading to stabilize. Record an initial temperature for each type of material in Table
A.

d) Place the cups under the heat lamp(s). If using one heat lamp, put the six cups in a tight
circle, each equidistant from the lamp. The lamp bulb should be positioned over the cups at
a height of 10 cm from the materials. If using two lamps, place three cups under each.

e) Turn on your heat lamp(s). Start a timer or note the time on a clock. From this point, let the
samples set for approximately 25 minutes. Time can vary slightly as needed to complete
other steps of the lab.

f) Make a hypothesis about which set of sample mass, the 200 g or 100 g, will heat up the
fastest. Also make a hypothesis about which type of material will heat up the fastest. Record
these guesses in Table A. You may continue with Part II until it is time to check these
samples.

Step 3: Measure the change in temperature for different materials and mass.

a) After the time has elapsed, record the actual elapsed time in the Tfinal column in Table A.
Remove the three cups that have samples of 100 g. Stir each sample gently to mix them,
then place a thermometer in each cup and observe the readings until they do not climb any
higher. Record the final temperature value for each cup in Table A.
 Student Guide (continued)

b) Repeat Step 3a for the 200 g samples. Record all data in Table A, and calculate the
temperature change, ΔT, for each sample. In your observations, include qualitative
descriptions of the heat gained by water, wet sand, and dry sand that you have made by
touching the materials to assess their thermal energy.

PART II: Examining the Effect of Material Type on Thermal Energy Transfer and Specific Heat

Be sure to wear protective gloves when handling all metal samples!

Step 4: Establish an initial temperature of the metal samples.

a) Measure out 500 mL of tap water in the 1 L beaker and bring it to a boil using a hot plate or
other heating source.
b) Measure out approximately 50 g of aluminum wire using a mass balance. Coil the wire
slightly to facilitate measurement, if needed, and carefully trim the sample down to 50 g.
Record the exact mass in Table B.
c) Coil the wire around a pencil or other object, or fold the wire tightly to create a more compact
mass. Use tongs to carefully place the sample in the hot water bath.
d) Repeat Steps 4b–c for 50 g of the steel wire.
e) Measure out approximately 50 g of lead pellets, record the exact mass in Table B, and place
the pellets in the strainer. Place the strainer and lead in the hot water bath.
f) Allow the metal samples to reach thermal equilibrium with the boiling water over the next 5
minutes, while you prepare the calorimeter in the next steps.
Step 5: Assemble a “coffee cup” calorimeter.
a) Place one foam coffee cup inside the other.

b) With a third cup, trim off the upper ¼ of the cup and discard it. Invert the trimmed cup to
make a lid, and check for a snug fit within the other two cups. Punch a small hole in the
center of the lid to hold the thermometer. Place the thermometer in the hole, and then
remove the lid with the thermometer.

Thermometer Partial foam cup,

inverted (lid)

2 stacked foam cups

(base)

Basic coffee cup calorimeter setup

Step 6: Measure the mass of the water in the calorimeter.

a) Place the calorimeter (no lid) on the balance and tare the balance. Using a 500 mL beaker
with 300 mL of room temperature, add water to the calorimeter until you read 300 g of mass.
Record the exact mass in Table B in the row for aluminum, as this will be the first sample.

Step 7: Reassemble the calorimeter and position the thermometer.

 Student Guide (continued)

a) Place the lid on the calorimeter, and insert the thermometer. If needed, place the calorimeter
into a beaker or other secondary container to prevent wobbling.
b) Swirl the thermometer slightly, and confirm that the thermometer is well within the water.
Allow the temperature to stabilize, and record this initial temperature to the nearest 0.1°C in
Table B.
Step 8: Transfer metal samples to the calorimeter and measure the temperature change.
a) Use a thermometer to check the hot water bath temperature, which should be near 100°C if
the water bath is boiling. The temperature of the metals should have reached the same
temperature. Record this initial temperature for the three metal samples in Table B.
b) Raise the thermometer and lid off the calorimeter, and carefully transfer the bundle of heated
aluminum wire from the hot water to the calorimeter using the tongs. Try to let any excess
water drip off the wire sample, but make the transfer quickly so the metal does not begin to
cool. Close the lid snugly and make sure the thermometer is immersed in the water.
c) Observe the increase in temperature every 20 seconds for 3 minutes, or until the bundle of
wire and water reach an equilibrium temperature (the water temperature stops increasing).
Record the equilibrium temperature in Table B.
d) Remove the aluminum wire sample and empty the calorimeter. Repeat Steps 6–8d for the
bundle of steel wire.
e) Remove the steel wire sample and empty the calorimeter. Repeat Steps 6–8d for the lead
pellets, and briefly allow the excess water to drain from the pellets and strainer before
dumping the sample into the calorimeter.

Step 9: Compute the specific heat of each type of metal.

a) Using your data in Table B, calculate ∆Twater and ∆Tmetal, using Teq and Ti for each metal and
the calorimeter water.
b) Use your data, the equation below, and the specific heat of water (4.184 J/g°C) to compute
the specific heat values of each type of metal sample. Use a calculator, and round to the
nearest hundredth place.

When solving for the specific heat of each metal (c metal ), c water is the specific heat of water,
mwater is the mass of the water in the cup, and ∆ T water is the increase in temperature of the
water; whereas m metal refers to the mass of the metal and ∆ T metal is the decrease in
temperature of the metal.
c) Table C lists some known reference values for the specific heat of various materials. How do
your determined values compare? What factors could cause them to differ? Keep these
questions in mind when you start to write your lab report.
 Student Guide (continued)

Step 10: Check for errors.

a) Now that you have calculated specific heat values for the metals, see how far off the values
are from known values. Use data from Tables B and C to calculate the error, as a percent,
for each metal sample. Use the formula:

( calculated−known)
% Error ¿ 100 %
known
where calculated is your value from Table B, and known is the value from Table C. Report
the error for each metal as a percent, next to the known value in Table C.

Step 11: Dispose of all materials according to your teacher’s directions.

 Student Guide (continued)

Data
Record your data either in your lab notebook or in the space below.

Table A: The Effect of Mass or Material Type on Thermal Energy Transfer

Material Mass Tinitial Tfinal ∆T

(g) 0 min _____ min

Water 200

Water 100

Wet sand 200

Wet sand 100

Dry sand 200

Dry sand 100

Which samples will heat up faster? circle one

100 g (least massive) 200 g (most massive) No Difference
Explain your reasoning:

Which samples will heat up faster? circle one

Water Wet Sand Dry Sand No Difference
Explain your reasoning:
 Student Guide (continued)

Table B: Calculation of Specific Heat

Material Mass Mass Ti(Metal) Ti(Water) Teq ∆Twater ∆Tmetal

of of Cwater Cmetal
Metal Water (Teq–Ti(water)) (Teq–Ti(metal))
J/g°C J/g°C
(g) (g) (oC) (oC) (oC) (oC) (oC)

Aluminum
4.18
wire

Steel wire 4.18

Lead
4.18
pellets
 Student Guide (continued)

Table C: Known Specific Heat Values for Common Materials

Material Specific Heat % Error

(J/g*C) (deviation from known)

Water 4.18

Concrete 0.88

Wood 1.80

Aluminum 0.90

Glass 0.84

Sand 0.83

Steel 0.49

Iron 0.44

Copper 0.38

Lead 0.16

Gold 0.13