Specific Heat Capacity Challenges
As hot oil is involved, you must wear safety goggles and lab coats
Take time to think about and prepare for each challenge before starting any of them.
Challenge 1:
Using only the apparatus below, measure the specific heat capacity of the oil given.
Apparatus:










Access to water
Oil
2 x beakers
Tripod
Gauze
Heatproof mat
Bunsen burner
Stopwatch
Thermometer
Balance
Challenge 2:
Keep the hot oil as warm as possible for 10 minutes.
Apparatus:










Insulating materials
Boiling tube
Thermometer
Hot oil
Clamp stand
Boss
Clamp
Stopwatch
Heat proof gloves
Funnel
Method:






Use your given share of the materials provided to insulate the boiling tube
Use the clamp stand, boss, and clamp to hold the boiling tube
Measure the temperature of the hot oil in the beaker
Very carefully fill the boiling tube with hot oil
As soon as you have done that, start the stopwatch
After 10 minutes, measure the temperature of the oil in the boiling tube
The winning team will be the one with the smallest percentage drop in temperature, found using
this equation:
% temperature change =
initial temperature - final temperature
× 100
initial temperature
Challenge 3:
Correctly predict the equilibrium temperature after a hot solid is added to water.
Apparatus:









Access to water
Steel object
2 x beakers
Tripod
Gauze
Heatproof mat
Bunsen burner
Thermometer
Tongs
Practical method:







Using the balance, measure the mass of the steel object
Place the steel object into a beaker with enough water to fully submerge the object
Heat the water and solid to 100 degrees Celsius using the Bunsen burner
Measure the mass of the second beaker
Fill the second beaker with water and measure its temperature
Measure the mass of the second beaker with the water and use this to find the mass of the
water
Gently add the steel object to the second beaker (using the tongs) and observe the
maximum temperature reached by the water