Name:
Date:
Class:
Specific Heat and Calorimetry WebQuest
Go to http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/spht.html and begin reading.
1. Define heat (click on the blue link, in the first sentence, that says heat).
2. Define Specific Heat (Hint: first sentence).
3. Write the big red equation here and label all the letters and symbols
4. What is the specific heat of water? in calories/gram °C ___________in joules/gram °C ___________
5. What is the equation for change in temperature (ΔT) calculated? (see the second big red equation for
assistance)
Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calorie and read. Fill in the blanks below.
6. What is a calorie?
7. What is the difference between a small calorie (cal) and a large Calorie (Cal)?
8. Which of the above is used as a dietary calorie (calories used to measure the energy in food)?
Go to http://www.unitconversion.org/unit_converter/specific-heat-capacity.html and compare the
measurements of calories to joules below.
9. 1 cal =
J (Select “calorie (IT) gram/°C [cal/g °C]” to “joule/gram/°C[J/(g/°C)]” to convert.)
Go to http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/thermalP/u18l2c.cfm and answer the following questions.
10. What is calorimetry?
11. What is a calorimeter?
12. How does a calorimeter work?
Calorimetry Lab Data Sheet
Go to classzone.com. Select the Virtual Lab tab in the lower left corner. On the “Virtual Biology Labs” screen
select “Calorimetry.”
Data:
Table 1. Samples from the Fewest to the Greatest Number of Calories per Gram.
Actual
Prediction
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
Table 2. Data Collection for Food Samples
Food Sample
Initial Mass Final Mass
Food
Food
Sample w/ Sample w/
Crucible (g) Crucible (g)
Table 3. Caloric values of food.
Food Sample
Change in Mass (g)
Change in
Mass (g)
Change in Water
Temp. (oC)
Initial
Water
Temp (oC)
Final
Water
Temp
Temp (oC)
Calories in Food
Sample (Cal)
Analysis:
1. How might multiple trials have improved your accuracy?
2. How can this information be used to plan a healthy diet?
3. What is the relationship between the release of energy as heat and Calories?
Change in
Water
Temp (oC)
Calories per Gram
(Cal/g)
Calorimetry Lab Procedure Sheet
Problem:

Read the “Problem.”

Select “Explore” and find the following parts of the lab: calorimeter, thermometer, balance, crucible, and food samples. Once the checklist is
completed you can move onto “Procedure.”
Procedure:
1. Select “Procedure.”
2. Select 5 food samples to compare in your experiment and drag them to the workbench.
3. Open the “Lab Notebook” to rank the foods in order from the fewest to the greatest number of Calories per gram. (Remember this is only a prediction
so make your best guess).
4. Please also write out your predictions in Table 1 in the “Data” section.
5.
Once you have recorded your predictions, click the arrow to advance to the next step. Feel free to close out of the “Lab Notebook,” it will
automatically save what you entered.
6. Drag your first food sample to the crucible.
7. Drag the crucible with the food sample to the balance to measure the initial mass of the crucible and the food sample to the nearest hundredth (0.01)
8.
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of a gram.
Open the “Lab Notebook” and record the mass in the section that says “Initial Mass of Food Sample with Crucible.”
Once you have recorded the initial mass, close out your “Lab Notebook” and click the arrow to advance to the next step.
Drag the crucible with the food sample to the calorimeter.
Open the “Lab Notebook” and record the initial water temperature.
Once you have recorded the initial water temperature close out the “Lab Notebook” and click the arrow to advance to the
next step.
Click “IGNITE” to burn the food sample.
After the food is completely burned and reduced to ash, open the “Lab Notebook” and record the final water temperature.
Close the “Lab Notebook” and click the arrow to advance to the next step.
Drag the crucible from the calorimeter to the balance to measure the mass of the crucible and the burned food (ash).
Open the “Lab Notebook” and record the final mass.
Close the “Lab Notebook” and click the arrow to advance to the next step.
Repeat procedures #6-18 for each food item until your table is completely filled.
Copy your “Lab Notebook” data table into Table 2 in your data section.
Click the right arrow to advance to Step 14.
Go to the “Calculate” tab of the “Lab Notebook.” To calculate the number of Calories released by each food sample, enter the necessary value into the
formula in the “Lab Notebook.” Scroll to the bottom of the notebook to access the necessary information. Use the diagrams below to help you fill in
the information.
23. When you have completed calculations please copy your table from the “Lab Notebook: Calculate” to Table 3 in the data section.
24. Click the right arrow to advance to Step 15.
25. You are now ready to analyze your data and draw your conclusions. Open the “Lab Notebook.” Record your actual order of food samples from the
fewest to the greatest number of Calories per gram in Table 1 in the “Data” section of your answer sheet.
26. Using your data from the lab, answer the questions in the “Analysis” section of your answer sheet.