Worksheet- Introduction To Specific Heat Capacities - Winters Chemistry printable pdf download

Name:________________________ Per:_____

Worksheet- Introduction to Specific Heat Capacities

Heating substances in the sun: The following table shows the temperature after 10.0 g of 4 different

substances have been in direct sunlight for up to 60 minutes.

Time (minutes)

Air (° C)

Water (° C)

Sand (° C)

Metal (° C)

O (initial)

25°C

15.0 min

28.9°C

26.2°C

30°C

35°C

30.0 min

32.5°C

27.5°C

35°C

45°C

45.0 min

36.2°C

28.8°C

40°C

55°C

60.0 min

40°C

30°C

45°C

65°C

Step 1: Create a line graph for each substance on graph below. Label the substances.

Step 2: Answer questions

1. Order the substances based

0.1 cal/g°C

on the time required to heat

them from :

slowest

Water

Air

0.2 cal/g°C

Sand

0.25 cal/g°C

Metal

fastest

2. Which do you think will

1.0 cal/g°C

cool the fastest?

Explain

Metal – it does not have the

capacity to “hold” a lot of

heat without changing the

temp.

When you boil water in a pot on the stove, which heats faster, the metal or the water? Explain.

The metal heats faster than the water because it requires less energy to heat it up (it has a lower heat

capacity).

Why do you think different substances heat up and cool down at different rates?

The potential energy of each substance is different. Water has a very high potential energy due the

intermolecular forces between the polar water molecules.

***Specific heat capacity = the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 g of a

substance by 1 degree. ***

Based on the definition above, which of the 4 substances do you think has the highest specific heat capacity?

Which substance has the lowest heat capacity?

Water has the highest specific heat capacity and metal has the lowest.

Here are the heat capacities of the four substances: 0.10 cal/g °c, 0.25 cal/g °c, 1.0 cal/g °c,

Match & then label each substance with its specific heat capacity on the graph

& 0.2 cal/g °c.

See graph above.

7. If something has a high specific heat capacity will it take a lot of heat or a little heat to change its

temperature? Explain. (careful! Use the definition, your graph, and the data from #6)

It will take a lot of heat to change its temperature because it can absorb more heat energy without

changing its kinetic energy (temperature).

Assuming they both start at the same temperature, which will heat up faster, a swimming pool or a bath tub?

Explain your thinking.

A bath tub will heat up faster because it has less mass to heat.

Worksheet- Introduction To Specific Heat Capacities - Winters Chemistry

Related Articles

Related forms

Related Categories