Lab 1: Temperature and Heat

Activities

     The first activity we did in class was to find the linear equation between Fahrenheit and Celsius by using water as an example. We took into consideration the freezing and boiling point of water in both scales, which are 32°F and 212°F, and 0°C and 100°C, respectively. Then we graph °F vs °C. With the graph we found the slope of the function through the ratio of the difference in temperature, which was 180°F/100°C. Therefore, we found the the equation  F = (9/5)C + 32 from the general linear equation y = mx + c.

     Later, we converted the temperature of the classroom from Fahrenheit to Kelvin. Our result was 295 K. Finally, we used the final temperature of each group and with the standard deviation formula, we managed to calculate the uncertainty of the temperature, which was +/- 2.

     The second activity we did was a mixture of two cups of water at different temperatures. We used the formula Qtot = 0 = m1c1(deltaT1) + m2c2(deltaT2) to find the final temperature. Our final temperature was 47.7 °C.

     We also did a similar activity in which professor Mason put hot water into the aluminum can, also he add a cup of cold water and placed it inside the aluminum can. The difference was that this activity was an example of transfer of heat, instead of mixture. The aluminum can served as a heat conductor for the water inside the cup. For this reason, the following graph shows that the temperature is slowly changing over time until it reaches equilibrium.

     The following picture shows the factors that affects the rate of cooling; in addition, it also shows variables that determines the proportionality of heat on an object.

     

     Another activity was to find the final temperature of two metal bar making contact with each other. We use the equation,  dQ/dt = (kA(deltaT))/ L == (A(deltaT))/R

Conclusion

     We learnt many things today, such as: temperature conversion, thermal conductivity and heat transfer. All these were possible thanks to the the experiments we made. In addition, we learnt a new thermodynamics formula dQ/dt = (kA(deltaT))/ L == (A(deltaT))/R.