Required Practical 1: Specific Heat Capacity
Ever wondered why some materials heat up faster than others? Specific heat capacity tells us how much energy is needed to heat up 1kg of a material by 1°C. This practical helps you measure this property for different metals like copper, iron, and aluminium.
You'll use a 30W heater inserted into holes drilled in 1kg metal blocks, along with a thermometer to monitor temperature changes. The key is wrapping everything in insulation to prevent heat loss and using water in the thermometer hole to improve thermal contact.
The method involves heating the block whilst recording temperature every 10 minutes. You'll then plot temperature against work done by the heater and use the gradient to calculate specific heat capacity.
Top Tip: If you don't know the heater's power, measure current and voltage, then calculate power using P = IV. The specific heat capacity equals the inverse of your graph's gradient (since the mass is 1kg).
