Energy Forms & Changes Virtual Lab Worksheet

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Energy Forms & Changes Virtual Lab

Objective:

• Predict what happens to the energy of an object when it is heated or cooled.

• Heat up the brick and iron at the same time. Which one can hold more energy?

Introduction:

You will use the PhET simulation Energy Forms & Changes to predict, experiment, discover, and

interpret the meaning of the material property known as Specific Heat Capacity.

Warm-Up:

1. Describe what the following

terms mean

Temperature – The quantity

that expresses hot or cold and is related

to the average kinetic energy of atoms

and molecules in a system

Heat – The form of energy that is transferred between objects with different temperatures.

2. Using your definition for temperature above, explain how a thermometer works to provide

a visual representation of the temperature

A thermometer contains mercury which either expands when the temperature rises or

contracts when the temperature decreases.

3. Thermometers in the past were filled with mercury but most are now filled

with alcohol instead due to safety reasons. Why do you think alcohol is used

instead of water?

Alcohol can withstand much lower temperatures as well as alcohols susceptibility to

polymerize causing it to only expand due to more concise changes.

4. The simulator allows you to add the same amount of heat energy to different materials e.g.

water, oil, iron, brick. If you are able to measure the temperature of these materials as you

are heating them would you predict that each will have the same

temperature changes? Explain.

Certain objects contain a higher heat capacity so they can withhold larger amounts

of heat but remain at the same temperature. However some of the materials may

be going through more drastic changes than others.

Experiment:

5. Position the Iron block on one of the ring stands and move a thermometer

to the block to measure the temperature of it. Then click the Energy Symbols tab and begin

increasing the heat under the iron. Describe what you observe.

The two objects at first retain energy at the same rate but over time the iron is able to hold more

energy and the brick more readily releases energy.

6. Predict what you would see if you are able to measure the temperature of the Iron block

and Brick block as you supply the same amount of heat to each block.

Brick and Iron have a different atomic composition so I would predict that due a better conductor of

heat it would retain more thermal energy.

7. Click the reset button, then drag the iron block on one stand and the brick block on the

second stand. Again, put a thermometer in both blocks to measure the temperature of each.

Click the Energy Symbols and Link Heater tabs. Before adding any heat to the blocks,

observe any differences in the blocks and provide a reason for this

Iron has a higher energy capacity than brick so the iron initially has more energy stored.

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Energy Forms & Changes Virtual Lab Objective: • Predict what happens to the energy of an object when it is heated or cooled. • Heat up the brick and iron at the same time. Which one can hold more energy? Introduction: You will use the PhET simulation Energy Forms & Changes to predict, experiment, discover, and interpret the meaning of the material property known as Specific Heat Capacity. Warm-Up: 1. Describe what the following terms mean Temperature – The quantity that expresses hot or cold and is related to the average kinetic energy of atoms and molecules in a system Heat – The form of energy that is transferred between objects with different temperatures. 2. Using your definition for temperature above, explain how a thermometer works to provide a visual representation of the temperature A thermometer contains mercury which either expands when the temperature rises or contracts when the temperature decreases. 3. Thermometers in the past were filled with mercury but most are now filled with alcohol instead due to safety reasons. Why do you think alcohol is used instead of water? Alcohol can withstand much lower temperatures as well as alcohols susceptibility to polymeri ...
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Tags: Energy Forms Changes heated or cooled material property physics problems specific heat capacity