Sciences for the IB MYP 3: by Concept
1 How do we make it work?
Activity: Heating up, cooling down
ATL
Information literacy skills: Collect, record and verify data
Individually or in pairs: In this activity you will observe and measure energy changes in exothermic
and endothermic reactions.
You will need

3 × 100 ml beakers

Spatulas

Thermometer and stopwatch, or temperature sensor and datalogging device

Aqueous (dissolved) citric acid (C6H8O7)

Crushed limestone (calcium carbonate, CaCO3)

Sodium bicarbonate (sodium hydrogen carbonate, NaHCO3)

Dilute sulphuric acid (H2SO4)

Dilute sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
Experiment 1
1
Pour 50 cm3 of aqueous citric acid into a beaker. Measure the temperature of the acid.
2
Add 1 spatula of calcium carbonate and stir. Measure the temperature until the temperature of the
solution has returned to the starting temperature.
3
Now add 4 more spatulas of calcium carbonate and stir. Measure the temperature as before.
Experiment 2
Again, pour 50 cm3 of citric acid into a beaker. Measure the temperature of the acid. Repeat the
procedure for experiment 1, but this time adding sodium bicarbonate (sodium hydrogen carbonate)
instead of calcium carbonate. Measure the temperatures as before.
Experiment 3
1
Measure 25 cm3 of dilute sulphuric acid into the beaker. Measure the temperature of the acid.
2
Now add 5 cm3 of sodium hydroxide. Stir and measure the temperature.
3
Repeat until you have added 30 cm3 of sodium hydroxide, measuring the temperature change for
each additional 5 cm3.
Hodder & Stoughton © Paul Morris and Patricia Deo 2017
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Sciences for the IB MYP 3: by Concept
Organize your results in a suitable table, showing units of measurement.
Present your data using a graph.
Hodder & Stoughton © Paul Morris and Patricia Deo 2017
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Sciences for the IB MYP 3: by Concept
Hodder & Stoughton © Paul Morris and Patricia Deo 2017
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Sciences for the IB MYP 3: by Concept
In a conclusion, summarize your findings in each experiment. State whether the reactions were
endothermic or exothermic.
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Compare the energy changes in each reaction.
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Hodder & Stoughton © Paul Morris and Patricia Deo 2017
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Sciences for the IB MYP 3: by Concept
Evaluate your experiment. Could you have improved its accuracy or validity? State improvements
you could have made.
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Assessment opportunities
In this activity you have practised skills that are assessed using Criterion C: Processing and
evaluating.
Hodder & Stoughton © Paul Morris and Patricia Deo 2017
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