Pre-Assessment: Derivation Of The Celsius To Fahrenheit Conversion Equation Using Experimental Methods (Page 3 of 4) in pdf

Derivation of the Celsius to Fahrenheit Conversion

Equation Using Experimental Methods

Name(s): __________________________________, ______________________________________,

__________________________________________ Date: __________________ Period: ________

Purpose: In this experiment you will be heating a sample of water and taking the temperature in Celsius

and Fahrenheit at various time intervals. You will then derive the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion

equation by plotting your data points on a graph and determining the line equation of the form y = mx + b.

Equipment:

Hot plate, 250mL beaker, stirring rod, digital thermometer(s) calibrated in Celsius and Fahrenheit, 200mL

deionized water, timer (or clock with sweep hand)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

- If using a digital thermometer with a

F to

C switch, use care so as not to break the switch

- Take temperatures as quickly as possible so that the temperature doesn’t change between

F and

readings. Do not wait for the readings to “stabilize”.

- DO NOT leave the thermometer unattended in the beaker while on the hot plate. The heat from the

hotplate can melt the plastic housing on the thermometer.

- DO NOT allow the end of the digital thermometer to sit on the bottom of the beaker while on the

hotplate as the beaker glass, in direct contact with the hotplate, will give a false reading.

Procedure:

1. Place 200mL of deionized water into a clean 250mL beaker. Place the thermometer in the beaker and

allow to sit on the lab table until the temperature becomes stable. Record the initial temperature in the

chart below.

2. While performing the following task, gently and continuously stir the water to maintain consistent

distribution of the heat in the water. Place the beaker on the hotplate and at 2 minute intervals record the

Fahrenheit and Celsius temperatures in the data table below. Be sure to keep the thermometer suspended

in the water the entire time so it doesn’t have to “come up to temperature” each time.

Be sure to TURN OFF the digital thermometer when you are finished. It does not have an auto-off

function.

3. Using your collected data, use the information in Producing an XY Scatter Graph Using Microsoft

Excel on page 16 to plot the data and determine the best-line equation for the graph. Print your graph.

C (X axis, abscissa)

F (Y axis, ordinate)

Initial Temperature

2 minutes

4 minutes

6 minutes

8 minutes

10 minutes

Pre-Assessment: Derivation Of The Celsius To Fahrenheit Conversion Equation Using Experimental Methods Page 3