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Student Guide - Why Does Sand at The Beach Feel Hot, Even When The Water Feels Cool

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
72 views17 pages

Student Guide - Why Does Sand at The Beach Feel Hot, Even When The Water Feels Cool

Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Available Formats
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‭STUDENT ACTIVITY GUIDE‬

‭ hy does sand at the beach feel hot, even‬


W
‭when the water feels cool?‬

‭The challenge‬
‭If you’ve ever been to the beach on a sunny‬
‭day in the middle of summer, you’ve probably‬
‭experienced how hot the sand feels on your‬
‭bare feet, even though the water‬
‭temperature feels cool. Maybe you’ve had a‬
‭similar experience walking on the hot‬
‭concrete of a pool deck on your way to a‬
‭refreshing swim.‬

‭Even though the same sunlight is shining on the water and the sand or concrete, the‬
‭temperature of the water doesn’t rise as much. What causes this difference? What factors‬
‭affect how much the temperature of a substance changes when a given amount of thermal‬
‭energy is transferred into or out of it? In this activity, you’ll investigate those factors and‬
‭use your knowledge to develop an explanation.‬

‭By the end of this activity, I will be able to…‬


‭●‬ ‭collect and analyze data to understand and develop models explaining how heat‬
‭transfers when two components of different temperatures are combined within a‬
‭closed system‬
‭●‬ ‭collect and analyze data to draw conclusions about the relationship between the‬
‭specific heat capacity of a substance and the degree to which its temperature‬
‭changes when a given amount of heat is transferred per unit mass‬
‭●‬ ‭calculate the specific heat capacity of a substance based on heat transfer data‬
‭●‬ ‭make predictions about the effects of specific heat capacity on the temperature‬
‭change of a substance when heat is transferred to or from the substance‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭1‬
‭Setting the stage‬
‭We often say that something in our environment “feels hot” or “feels cold.” These‬
‭sensations are due to thermal energy transfer between our bodies and our surroundings.‬
‭In order to understand this process and others related to it, we need to keep in mind some‬
‭key concepts.‬

‭First of all, we should remember that a‬‭system‬‭is a group of components that interests us‬
‭in a particular scenario. Everything outside the system is designated as the‬‭surroundings‬‭.‬
‭When considering thermal energy transfer, it is important to define clearly what the‬
‭system is, so that we can notice if energy is moving into or out of the system.‬

‭The‬‭Law of Conservation of Energy‬‭tells us that energy‬‭cannot be created or destroyed,‬


‭but it can move from one component to another within a system or be transferred‬
‭between a system and its surroundings. This means that energy lost/gained by a system‬
‭must be‬‭___________________________________‬‭the energy‬‭gained/lost by its surroundings.‬

‭When we think about quantifying something in terms of how “hot” or “cold” it is, we often‬
‭think about its temperature.‬‭Temperature‬‭is a measure‬‭of the average (circle one)‬
‭kinetic/potential‬‭energy of the particles in a system.‬‭This kind of energy is related to the‬
‭___________________________________ of the particles.‬

‭●‬ ‭As particles move faster, their kinetic energy (circle one)‬‭increases/decreases‬‭, and‬
‭temperature (circle one)‬‭increases/decreases‬‭.‬

‭●‬ ‭As particles move more slowly, their kinetic energy (circle one)‬
‭increases/decreases‬‭, and temperature (circle one)‬‭increases/decreases‬‭.‬

‭Temperature can be measured using a ___________________________________ with a scale in units‬


‭of degrees Celsius.‬

‭Thermal energy‬‭is the‬‭sum‬‭of the kinetic energy of‬‭all‬‭the particles in a system in units of‬
‭joules. The thermal energy in a system depends not only on the average kinetic energy of‬
‭the particles (temperature), but also on the number of particles present. Therefore, a‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭2‬
‭bucket of water at 25‬‭o‭C

will have (circle one)‬‭more/less/the same‬‭thermal energy‬
‭compared to a swimming pool of water at 25‬‭o‬‭C.‬

‭Heat‬‭is the amount of thermal energy transferred when‬‭two systems of‬‭different‬


‭temperatures‬‭come in contact with each other. A system‬‭cannot‬‭have‬‭heat. Systems‬‭transfer‬
‭heat when they come into contact with other systems and there is a temperature‬
‭difference. Components within a system can also transfer heat if they are initially at‬
‭different ___________________________________ when they come into contact.‬

‭The direction of heat transfer is always from a component with (circle one)‬‭lower/higher‬
‭temperature to a component with (circle one)‬‭lower/higher‬‭temperature. Heat transfer‬
‭continues until the components reach the same temperature, meaning that the average‬
‭kinetic energy of the particles is the same in both components. When a system reaches‬
‭this point where temperature remains constant, we say it is at‬‭thermal equilibrium‬‭.‬
‭Particles continue to move around and collide, but kinetic energy, on average, is now‬
‭evenly distributed among the particles, so no net transfer of thermal energy will occur.‬

‭Consider a scenario where two components at different temperatures come into contact‬
‭within a system. Component A has a temperature of 25‬‭o‭C

when it comes into contact with‬
‭component B, which has a temperature of 150‬‭o‬‭C. What‬‭do you expect will happen?‬

‭Heat will transfer (circle one)‬‭to/from‬‭component‬‭A (circle one)‬‭to/from‬‭component B.‬

‭As heat transfer occurs:‬


‭●‬ ‭the temperature of component A will ___________________________________ and‬

‭●‬ ‭the temperature of component B will ___________________________________ until‬

‭●‬ ‭the temperature of component A is ___________________________________ the‬


‭temperature of component B.‬

‭The amount of heat transferred when components of different temperatures come in‬
‭contact depends on several factors, which you will investigate in this activity. The heat‬
‭transferred to or from a particular component can be calculated using the equation:‬
‭𝑞‭‬‬ = ‭‬‭𝑚𝑐‬‭Δ‬‭𝑇‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭3‬
‭In this equation,‬‭𝑞‬‭is the amount of heat transferred (in joules),‬‭𝑚‬‭is the mass of the‬
‭component (in grams),‬‭𝑐‬‭is the specific heat capacity‬‭of the component (in J/g‬‭o‬‭C), and‬‭Δ‭𝑇
‬ ‬‭is‬
‭the final temperature minus the initial temperature of the component (in‬‭o‬‭C).‬

‭Specific heat capacity‬‭is a characteristic property‬‭of a substance that represents‬‭the‬


‭amount of thermal energy required to change the temperature of the substance per unit‬
‭mass.‬

‭The sign of‬‭𝑞‬‭tells us the direction in which heat‬‭transfer occurs with respect to our system‬
‭or a specific component within the system. A negative value‬‭of‬‭𝑞‬‭indicates thermal energy‬
‭(circle one)‬‭entering/leaving‬‭the component. A positive‬‭value of‬‭𝑞‬‭indicates thermal‬
‭energy (circle one)‬‭entering/leaving‬‭the component.‬

‭Now that you’ve reviewed some key concepts, let’s investigate thermal energy transfer‬
‭and develop an explanation for why sand on a beach feels so hot, even when the water‬
‭feels cool.‬

‭Let’s get started!‬


‭Materials‬

‭●‬ ‭Lab notebook or other paper for recording experimental data and responses to‬
‭Follow-up questions‬‭(optional, not necessary if completing‬‭digitally)‬
‭●‬ ‭water‬
‭●‬ ‭ice‬
‭●‬ ‭25 g copper (wire, nails, or shot)‬
‭●‬ ‭25 g lead (wire, fishing weights, or shot)‬
‭●‬ ‭25 g glass (marbles or beads)‬
‭●‬ ‭1 Styrofoam cup (Styrofoam is a registered trademark, but any polystyrene foam‬
‭cup will work)‬
‭●‬ ‭2 beakers-250 mL (or other similar sized heat-resistant containers)‬
‭●‬ ‭1 beaker-500 mL (or other similar sized heat-resistant container)‬
‭●‬ ‭3 extra-large test tubes‬
‭●‬ ‭tape/marker for labeling test tubes‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭4‬
‭●‬ ‭1 test tube holder‬
‭●‬ ‭1 balance (or kitchen scale)‬
‭●‬ ‭1 weighboat (or small container for measuring mass on the balance)‬
‭●‬ ‭2 thermometers‬
‭●‬ ‭1 hotplate‬
‭●‬ ‭1 heat-resistant mitt‬
‭●‬ ‭1 insulated pad‬
‭●‬ ‭1 strainer‬

‭Investigation (Part 1): Heat transfer between water samples‬

‭In this experiment, you will combine water samples at different temperatures and observe‬
‭how heat transfers between the components of a system. The diagram below shows water‬
‭at room temperature in a Styrofoam cup, water being heated on a hotplate, and water in‬
‭an ice bath.‬

‭Experimental procedure:‬

‭1.‬ ‭Place a Styrofoam cup on the balance and zero it. Add water to the cup until the mass‬
‭reads ~25 g. Record the mass of the water in the cup to the nearest tenth of a gram in‬
‭the data table below.‬
‭●‬ ‭Tip:‬‭Since the density of water is 1 g/mL, it will‬‭take approximately 25 mL of‬
‭water to reach 25 g on the balance.‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭5‬
‭2.‬ ‭Place the Styrofoam cup inside a medium-sized (250-400 mL) beaker or similar‬
‭container to prevent it from getting knocked over. Use a thermometer to measure the‬
‭temperature of the water, and record it in the data table below (initial temperature of‬
‭water in cup). Leave the thermometer in the cup while you move on to the next steps.‬
‭●‬ ‭Tip:‬‭It may take some time for the water, thermometer,‬‭and surroundings to‬
‭reach thermal equilibrium. After placing the thermometer in the water, wait a‬
‭few minutes before recording the temperature. Make sure the thermometer is‬
‭giving a constant reading before recording the value.‬

‭3.‬ ‭Place a 250 mL beaker on the balance and zero it. Add water to the beaker until the‬
‭mass reads ~25 g. Record the mass of the water to the nearest tenth of a gram in the‬
‭data table below (mass of water heated/cooled).‬

‭4.‬ ‭Put the beaker on a hotplate and place a thermometer in the water. Carefully heat the‬
‭beaker until the water boils and its temperature reaches ~100‬‭o‬‭C. Record the‬
‭temperature of the water to the nearest tenth of a degree in the data table below‬
‭(initial temperature of water heated/cooled).‬
‭●‬ ‭Caution:‬‭Do not look directly down into the beaker‬‭or hold your hand over the‬
‭beaker while heating the water. Steam coming off the surface may cause burns.‬

‭5.‬ ‭Remove the thermometer from the beaker, and turn off the hotplate. One team‬
‭member should prepare to read the thermometer in the Styrofoam cup, while another‬
‭team member should get a heat-resistant mitt and insulated pad.‬
‭●‬ ‭Caution:‬‭Hot glassware looks the same as cool glassware.‬‭Do not touch the‬
‭beaker with your bare hands. Always use the heat-resistant mitt.‬
‭●‬ ‭Caution:‬‭Hot glassware may crack if placed directly‬‭on a cool surface. Always‬
‭place hot glassware on an insulated pad when removing it from the hotplate.‬

‭6.‬ ‭When everyone is ready, use the heat-resistant mitt to carefully pour the heated water‬
‭into the Styrofoam cup. Gently stir the water with the thermometer 2-3 times, then‬
‭watch carefully to see when the temperature stops rising—this will be the thermal‬
‭equilibrium temperature. Record this value in the data table below as the final‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭6‬
‭temperature of all water in the cup.‬
‭●‬ ‭Tip:‬‭Be sure to keep a close eye on the thermometer‬‭as soon as the heated‬
‭water is added to the cup. The change may occur very quickly, and you want to‬
‭make sure you don’t miss it!‬

‭7.‬ ‭When you are done observing and recording the thermal equilibrium temperature for‬
‭trial #1, carefully pour the water from the cup into the sink, and wipe up any spills.‬
‭Repeat steps 1-6, but this time, in step 4, heat the water to only ~50‬‭o‬‭C. Be sure to‬
‭record all mass and temperature measurements in the data table below.‬

‭8.‬ ‭When you are done observing and recording the thermal equilibrium temperature for‬
‭trial #2, carefully pour the water from the cup into the sink, and wipe up any spills.‬

‭9.‬ ‭To begin trial #3, set up an ice bath by filling a 500 mL beaker halfway with ice and‬
‭water. Then, repeat steps 1-3. Be sure to record all mass and temperature‬
‭measurements in the data table below.‬

‭10.‬‭Once you have massed 25 g of water in the 250 mL beaker, gently place the beaker into‬
‭the ice bath. Put a thermometer in the beaker and monitor the temperature until it‬
‭reaches ~0‬‭o‭C

. Record the temperature of the water‬‭to the nearest tenth of a degree in‬
‭the data table below (initial temperature of water heated/cooled).‬
‭●‬ ‭Tip:‬‭The temperature of the water may not reach 0‬‭o‬‭C. It is okay to proceed if‬
‭the temperature is a few degrees above zero. Just make sure you record the‬
‭actual value from the thermometer in the data table.‬

‭11.‬‭Remove the thermometer from the beaker. When one team member is prepared to‬
‭read the thermometer in the Styrofoam cup, carefully remove the beaker from the ice‬
‭bath, and pour the cooled water into the Styrofoam cup. Gently stir the water with the‬
‭thermometer 2-3 times, then watch carefully to see when the temperature stops‬
‭falling—this will be the thermal equilibrium temperature. Record this value in the data‬
‭table below as the final temperature of all water in the cup.‬

‭12.‬‭When you are done observing and recording the thermal equilibrium temperature for‬
‭trial #3, carefully pour the water from the cup into the sink, and wipe up any spills.‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭7‬
‭Let’s make a prediction!‬
‭For trial #4, you will heat ~50 g of water to ~100‬‭o‭C

and add it to ~25 g of room‬
‭temperature water in a Styrofoam cup. How do you predict the thermal equilibrium‬
‭temperature will compare to trial #1, where you used ~25 g of water at ~100‬‭o‬‭C? Explain‬
‭your reasoning.‬

‭13.‬‭Once you have made your predictions, repeat steps 1-6, but this time, in step 3,‬
‭measure ~50 g of water in the beaker. Be sure to record all mass and temperature‬
‭measurements in the data table below.‬

‭14.‬‭When you are done observing and recording the thermal equilibrium temperature for‬
‭trial #4, carefully pour the water from the cup into the sink, and wipe up any spills.‬

‭Trial #‬ ‭1‬ ‭2‬ ‭3‬ ‭4‬

‭ ass of water in‬


M
‭cup (g)‬

‭ ‭i‬nitial‬ ‭of water in‬


T
‭cup (‬‭o‬‭C)‬

‭ ass of water‬
M
‭heated/cooled (g)‬

‭ ‭i‬nitial‬ ‭of water‬


T
‭heated/cooled (‬‭o‬‭C)‬

‭ ‭fi‬ nal‬ ‭of all water in‬


T
‭cup (‬‭o‬‭C)‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭8‬
‭Follow-up questions (Part 1)‬

‭1.‬ ‭If we consider the system to be the water originally in the Styrofoam cup and the‬
‭water added to the Styrofoam cup, sketch two different models to show how heat‬
‭transfers between the components in the system when:‬
‭a.‬ ‭water from the hotplate is added‬
‭b.‬ ‭water from the ice bath is added‬
‭Use arrows to show the direction of heat transfer in each scenario.‬

‭2.‬ ‭Use your experimental data as evidence to support the models you sketched above.‬

‭3.‬ ‭What effect did increasing the mass of the heated water have on the amount of heat‬
‭transferred within the system? Use your experimental data as evidence to support‬
‭your claim.‬

‭4.‬ ‭In addition to mass, what other variable affected the amount of heat transferred‬
‭within the system? Use your experimental data as evidence to support your claim.‬

‭5.‬ ‭You measured the thermal equilibrium temperature of the system when the‬
‭temperature stopped going up (hot water added) or when it stopped going down (cold‬
‭water added). What would you expect to happen to the temperature of the system, in‬
‭either case, if you left the cup of water sitting out on the table for an hour after you‬
‭finished the experiment? Explain your reasoning with words and diagrams.‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭9‬
‭Investigation (Part 2): Heat transfer between water and other materials‬

‭In this experiment, you will heat different materials to ~100‬‭o‬ ‭C and observe how heat‬
‭transfers when each one is added to room temperature water. The diagram below shows‬
‭water at room temperature in a Styrofoam cup and another material in a test tube being‬
‭heated in a water bath on a hotplate.‬

‭Experimental procedure:‬

‭1.‬ ‭Prepare a hot water bath by filling a 500 mL beaker about three-quarters of the way‬
‭full with water, placing it on a hotplate, and turning on the hotplate to high.‬

‭2.‬ ‭Label three extra-large test tubes #1-3.‬

‭3.‬ ‭Using a balance and a weightboat, measure ~25 g of copper (Cu) and transfer it to‬
‭extra-large test tube #1. Record the mass of the copper to the nearest tenth of a gram‬
‭in the data table below.‬

‭4.‬ ‭Repeat step 3 for lead (test tube #2) and glass (test tube #3). Be sure to record the‬
‭mass of each material to the nearest tenth of a gram in the data table below.‬

‭5.‬ ‭Carefully place all three test tubes in the hot water bath so that the materials are fully‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭10‬
‭submerged. If the water in the beaker does not completely cover all of the materials in‬
‭the test tubes, carefully add more water to the bath, and continue heating.‬

‭6.‬ ‭As in Part 1, place a Styrofoam cup on the balance and zero it. Add water to the cup‬
‭until the mass reads ~25 g. Record the mass of the water in the cup to the nearest‬
‭tenth of a gram in the data table below.‬

‭7.‬ ‭Place the Styrofoam cup inside a medium-sized (250-400 mL) beaker or similar‬
‭container to prevent it from getting knocked over. Use a thermometer to measure the‬
‭temperature of the water, and record it in the data table below (initial temperature of‬
‭water in cup). Leave the thermometer in the cup while you move on to the next steps.‬
‭●‬ ‭Tip:‬‭It may take some time for the water, thermometer,‬‭and surroundings to‬
‭reach thermal equilibrium. After placing the thermometer in the water, wait a‬
‭few minutes before recording the temperature. Make sure the thermometer is‬
‭giving a constant reading before recording the value.‬

‭8.‬ ‭When the water in the hot water bath begins to boil, place a thermometer in the bath.‬
‭Since the test tubes and their contents should be in thermal equilibrium with the water‬
‭bath, we can record the temperature of the bath as the initial temperature of the‬
‭materials. Record the water bath temperature to the nearest tenth of a degree in the‬
‭data table below as the‬‭initial temperature of the‬‭copper sample‬‭.‬

‭9.‬ ‭One team member should prepare to read the thermometer in the Styrofoam cup,‬
‭while another team member should get a test tube holder and/or a heat-resistant mitt.‬
‭When everyone is ready, use the test tube holder (or a heat-resistant mitt) to carefully‬
‭grasp test tube #1, remove it from the hot water bath, and pour the heated copper into‬
‭the Styrofoam cup. Gently stir the water with the thermometer 2-3 times, then watch‬
‭carefully to see when the temperature stops rising—this will be the thermal‬
‭equilibrium temperature. Record this value in the data table below as the final‬
‭temperature of the water and material in the cup.‬
‭10.‬‭When you are done observing and recording the thermal equilibrium temperature for‬
‭trial #1, carefully pour the water and copper mixture through a strainer over the sink.‬
‭Transfer the copper to a paper towel to dry, and wipe up any spills.‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭11‬
‭11.‬‭Carry out steps 6-10 using lead (Pb) from test tube #2. Be sure to record all mass and‬
‭temperature measurements in the data table below.‬

‭12.‬‭When you are done observing and recording the thermal equilibrium temperature for‬
‭trial #2, carefully pour the water and lead mixture through a strainer over the sink.‬
‭Transfer the lead to a paper towel to dry, and wipe up any spills.‬

‭13.‬‭Carry out steps 6-10 using glass from test tube #3. Be sure to record all mass and‬
‭temperature measurements in the data table below.‬

‭14.‬‭When you are done observing and recording the thermal equilibrium temperature for‬
‭trial #3, carefully pour the water and glass mixture through a strainer over the sink.‬
‭Transfer the glass to a paper towel to dry, and wipe up any spills.‬

‭Trial #‬ ‭1‬ ‭2‬ ‭3‬

‭Material‬ ‭copper‬ ‭lead‬ ‭glass‬

‭Mass of material (g)‬

‭T‭i‬nitial‬ ‭of material (‬‭o‬‭C)‬

‭Mass of water in cup (g)‬

‭T‭i‬nitial‬ ‭of water in cup (‬‭o‭C



)‬

‭ ‭fi‬ nal‬ ‭of water and‬


T
‭material in cup (‬‭o‬‭C)‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭12‬
‭Follow-up questions (Part 2)‬

‭1.‬ ‭If we consider the system to be the water originally in the Styrofoam cup and the‬
‭material added to the water in the cup, sketch a model to show how heat transfers‬
‭between the components in the system.‬

‭2.‬ ‭What variables were kept constant for all three trials in Part 2?‬

‭3.‬ ‭Fill in the table below by calculating the change in temperature of each material and‬
‭the change in temperature of the water in the Styrofoam cup for each trial. List the 4‬
‭substances (the three materials and water) in order from the largest change in‬
‭temperature to the smallest change in temperature.‬

‭Trial #‬ ‭Material‬ ‭(‬‭T‬‭final‬ ‭-‬‭T‭i‬nitial‬‭) for material‬ ‭(T‬‭final‬ ‭-‬‭T‬‭initial‬‭) for water in cup‬

‭1‬

‭2‬

‭3‬

‭Order from‬‭largest to smallest‬‭change in temperature:‬

‭©2024 Khan Academy. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be modified or further distributed without written permission from Khan Academy‬ ‭13‬
‭4.‬ ‭Each substance has a characteristic specific heat capacity. Based on your temperature‬
‭data and the table of accepted specific heat capacity values below, what is the‬
‭relationship between the specific heat capacity of a substance and the degree to which‬
‭its temperature changes when a given amount of heat is transferred per unit mass?‬
‭Use evidence from your experiment to support your claim.‬

‭Substance‬ ‭Specific heat capacity (J/g‬‭o‭C



)‬

‭water (H‬‭2‭O
‬ )‬ ‭4.184‬

‭copper (Cu)‬ ‭0.384‬

‭lead (Pb)‬ ‭0.127‬

‭iron (Fe)‬ ‭0.449‬

‭aluminum (Al)‬ ‭0.897‬

‭glass‬ ‭0.840‬

‭PET plastic‬ ‭1.030‬

‭5.‬ ‭The accepted specific heat capacity values for iron and aluminum are listed in the table‬
‭above. Imagine that you carried out the same experiment as in Part 2 using these two‬
‭metals. Refer to your response for question #3—where would you place iron and‬
‭aluminum in the order from largest to smallest change in temperature? Explain your‬
‭reasoning.‬

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‭6.‬ ‭Use your experimental data, the specific heat capacity of water (4.184 J/g‬‭o‬‭C), and the‬
‭equation‬‭𝑞‭‬‬ = ‭‬‭𝑚𝑐‬‭Δ‬‭𝑇‬‭to calculate the amount of heat‬‭transferred to the water in the‬
‭Styrofoam cup when the heated copper was added in trial #1.‬

‭7.‬ ‭Does the heat transferred to water (‬‭𝑞‭)‬ have a positive‬‭or negative sign? Explain what‬
‭the sign tells you.‬

‭8.‬ ‭Based on your answers above, how much heat was transferred from the copper to the‬
‭water? Will this‬‭𝑞‬‭value for copper have a positive‬‭or negative sign? Explain your‬
‭reasoning.‬

‭9.‬ ‭Use your experimental data, the‬‭𝑞‬‭value from question‬‭#8, and the equation‬
‭𝑞‭‬‬ = ‭𝑚𝑐‬‭Δ‬‭𝑇‬‭to calculate the specific heat capacity‬‭of copper.‬

‭10.‬‭Compare the experimental value you calculated for the specific heat capacity of‬
‭copper to the accepted value given in the table above. Is your value close to the‬
‭accepted value? What are some sources of error in the design of the experiment that‬
‭might cause your value to be different from the accepted value?‬

‭11.‬‭Taking into account the sources of error that you identified above and what you know‬
‭about effective experimental design, what are some changes you would make to the‬

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‭procedure and setup in Part 2? What would you do to improve the accuracy of your‬
‭experimental value for the specific heat capacity of copper?‬

‭Keep creating!‬
‭We’ve seen that the specific heat capacity of a material has an impact on the degree to‬
‭which its temperature changes when a given amount of heat is transferred per unit mass.‬
‭Use your understanding of this relationship and your model of heat transfer to create a‬
‭pamphlet you could hand out at the beach. The pamphlet should address the following‬
‭questions:‬
‭●‬ ‭Why does the sand feel so much hotter than the water, even though both are‬
‭experiencing the same solar radiation on a sunny summer day?‬
‭●‬ ‭When your feet come in contact with the sand, what happens, in terms of thermal‬
‭energy transfer, to cause it to “feel hot?”‬
‭●‬ ‭When your feet come in contact with the water, what happens in terms of thermal‬
‭energy transfer, to cause it to “feel cool?”‬
‭Make your pamphlet colorful, engaging, and informative. Brainstorm and research other‬
‭natural phenomena related to specific heat capacity and/or examples where the specific‬
‭heat capacity of a material is utilized to address an engineering challenge. Include at least‬
‭one of these in your pamphlet.‬

‭More creative activities!‬

‭Below are some ideas for how you can use your creativity and your understanding of heat‬
‭transfer and specific heat capacity to generate new ideas and solutions.‬

‭●‬ ‭In this investigation, you used a Styrofoam cup to carry out each heat transfer‬
‭experiment in order to limit the “loss” of thermal energy from the system to the‬
‭surroundings. Styrofoam (or any polystyrene foam) is considered an “insulator,”‬
‭meaning it does not allow thermal energy to transfer readily through the material.‬

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‭Styrofoam cups are typically used to keep coffee or tea from decreasing in‬
‭temperature. At the same time, items that need to remain at low temperatures are‬
‭often packed in Styrofoam containers for shipping. Do some research to learn more‬
‭about foam insulation, and create a model showing how it works both to keep some‬
‭things “hot” and to keep other things “cold.”‬

‭●‬ ‭The ocean plays an essential role in regulating Earth’s climate by absorbing solar‬
‭radiation, storing it, and distributing it around the planet. Do some research to‬
‭learn more about how water’s specific heat capacity allows the ocean to act as a‬
‭“heat sink,” to moderate regional temperatures, and to slow global warming. Design‬
‭an interactive exhibit for a science center that can teach other people about what‬
‭you learned.‬

‭●‬ ‭Different building materials, such as brick, concrete, steel, or glass, have different‬
‭levels of thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity is a measure of the rate at‬
‭which materials conduct thermal energy, and it is important in determining the‬
‭amount of energy needed to maintain comfortable environmental conditions inside‬
‭a building. Do some research to learn more about thermal conductivity in building‬
‭materials, then use your knowledge to design an energy efficient building. Create a‬
‭short slide show or brochure to pitch your design. Be sure to explain how you chose‬
‭your materials and how they will contribute to the building’s energy efficiency.‬

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