Heat Transfer Lab
Goal: To determine the relationship between heat energy and heat transfer
Background: Heat as a form of energy is not measured directly. The energy
associated with heat is the vibration of molecules within the material. The faster the
molecules move, the more heat that material has. The speed of the molecules is what
is known as temperature. By measuring temperature, you can investigate the flow
and transfer of heat energy from one object to another.
Materials: Two calorimeter containers, foam lids, aluminum transfer bar,
thermometers, beakers, IR thermometer
Day 1 Procedure: Equal amounts of the same material at different
temperatures
 Put 200ml of water into the beaker and boil it on the hot plate
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While you’re waiting for the water to boil, push the end of each leg of the
aluminum bar through the slot in the center of each insulating lid. Carefully
Insert a -200C to 1100C thermometer into the remaining slot of each lid
Test the fit of the lids on the calorimeter cups

Fill one cup with 200ml of room temperature water
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Fill the remaining cup with 200ml of boiling water
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Quickly secure the lids on the cups and take a starting temperature reading
and record it on the data table
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Record the temperature of both cups and the aluminum bar (use the IR
thermometer for the bar) every 2 minutes for 30 minutes
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During the down time of waiting, look at the three video clips:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRY6MpN2QW8
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmdTVQgQVGc
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fbG4zt9xn4
 Answer the quiz questions:
1. Heat is the measure of ____________________________________
2. What is the only method of heat transfer that doesn’t require
matter? ____________________________________
3. What method of heat transfer uses direct contact? ______________
4. What method of heat transfer uses fluids? ________________________

Plot your data on graph paper with the temperature of both calorimeters on
the “Y” axis and the time on the “X” axis (turn this in at the end of class
tomorrow)

Use your data and the graph to answer the following questions and share the
answers as a group on Google docs:
1. How do you know heat was transferred from one calorimeter
to the other?
2. In which direction did the heat flow?
3. The lines on your graph do not cross although they appear to
be getting closer as time increases. If you measured the
temperature of each cup for a long enough time, would the
two lines eventually cross?
4. Where is the slope of the graph greatest?
5. What does this tell you about the rate of heat flow as
compared to temperature difference?
6. The heat gained by one calorimeter should equal the heat lost
by the other calorimeter. If both calorimeters contain the
same amount of water, the temperature gain of one should
equal the temperature loss of the other.
Did you observe this in your data? And why not?
Day 2 Procedure: Equal amounts of different materials at different
temperatures

Heat 200 ml of water in a beaker on the hot plate

While waiting for it to boil, pour 200 ml of windshield washer fluid into one
of the calorimeter cups and secure the lid

When the water boils pour it into the second calorimeter cup and secure the
lid

Slide a thermometer into the slots on each cup and record the starting
temperature of both liquids

Slide the aluminum bar into the slots on both cups

Record the temperature of both cups and the aluminum bar (use the IR
thermometer) every two minutes for 30 minutes

Plot your results on graph paper as you did yesterday (turn both graphs in at
the end of class today)

Use your data and the graph to answer the following questions and share the
answers as a group on Google docs:
1. How does this graph compare to the graph from Day 1?
2. What does this graph say about the amount of heat needed to
raise the temperature of windshield washer fluid?
3. Windshield washer fluid is made from water and methanol.
Methanol is methyl alcohol, a highly toxic, highly flammable
liquid. (It can never be ingested!!) It is also an ingredient in
anti-freeze for cars. Can you suggest a reason why the fluid
does not freeze in its container under the hood of your car?
4. Can you suggest a reason why the fluid freezes quickly once it
is sprayed on your windshield on a very cold day?
5. Some people suggest for the manufacturer to simply add
more alcohol to the solution to prevent it from freezing. Is
that a good idea? (think about the properties of methyl
alcohol)
This lab counts as a group grade only. You should turn in:
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Day 1 data table on Google docs (10 points) + graph (10 points)
Answers to video quiz on Google docs (10 points)
Answers to Day 1 questions on Google docs (5 points each = 30 points)
Day 2 data table on Google docs (5 points) + graph (5 points)
Answers to Day 2 questions on Google docs (6 points each = 30 points)