The equipment I will need is an immersion heater, a thermometer (either 1 C or ½ C increments). Ideally ½ C increments will be the best and most accurate to use. The immersion heaters will be set at 12 volts, 66 watts/joules per a second. The 4 metals will heat up at different rates because they have different densities. The test result;
Brass!
Copper!
Steel!
Aluminium!
Variables
The metals;
Copper- mass of 64 per atom
Aluminium- mass of 27 per atom
Steel and brass are both alloys.
The thermometers;
½ C increments - more accurate readings
1 C increment - less accurate readings
Fair Test
To make it a fair test I will need to ensure that the metals all have the same masses. I need to make sure that as accurately as possible that I heat the 4 different metal blocks to 20 C above each of there starting temperatures (likely to be room temperature). I will have to make sure that I leave the voltage the same for all the metals.
Apparatus:
Procedure:
- First you will have to place the thermometer in the metal and record what the starting temperature is.
- Secondly you put the immersion heater in the other hole on top of the metal.
- You then join all the leads or parts together to the power pack, including;
1 Ammeter
1 volt meter
- Then you switch the power pack on from the plug.
- Last of all, check that the voltage is on twelve watts and turn the power and the stop clock on at the same time.
Results!
I am going to find out the specific heat capacity by using this formulae; C = Q
M ∆T
That formula will work out the specific heat energy of the metal block.
The Results!
Brass!
Copper!
Steel!
Aluminium!
Specific Heat Capacity!
I have used the formula; C = Q
M ∆t
Evaluation
I think that I have recorded successfully and accurately as I can on the practical experiments such as the preliminary results. I have taken down the time and the temperature every 30seconds as best as I could. Also I feel I have done well is carrying out doing a fair test in my experiments. I feel that I could have done my graph plots every 15seconds to make the whole experiment more accurate.
I could have improved more in what I was doing in this investigation by working at a more rapid pace to cool down the equipment that I previously used and not get distracted by talking.
