Name the instrument used to measure the temperature of the water while its specific heat capacity is being determined.

A thermometer, or a temperature probe connected to a data logger.

Explain why the water should be stirred while it is heated during a determination of the specific heat capacity of water.

Stirring spreads the energy evenly, so the thermometer reads the true temperature of all the water.

Give the main reason the specific heat capacity of water found by electrical heating is usually larger than the accepted value.

Some energy is transferred to the container and the surroundings, so more energy is recorded than the water actually gains.

Explain how lagging the beaker improves a determination of the specific heat capacity of water.

It reduces the energy lost to the surroundings, so more of the energy supplied goes into the water.

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Particle Model

Investigating the specific heat capacity of water

3 things to know
Paper 2

Overview

Finding the specific heat capacity of water with an immersion heater and joulemeter, stirring, why results come out high and how lagging helps, the flat temperature–time graph for melting ice, and safety with heaters and hot water.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

Describe how a temperature–time graph for melting ice is obtained, the shape of the graph, and what the flat section shows.

Key term

Describe how an electric immersion heater and a joulemeter are used to find the specific heat capacity of water.

Numbers

State the equation used to calculate the specific heat capacity of water from measured energy, mass and temperature rise.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
Describe how an electric immersion heater and a joulemeter are used to find the specific heat capacity of water.
Model answer
Measure the mass of water, heat it with the immersion heater, and record the energy supplied and the resulting temperature rise.
2
State the equation used to calculate the specific heat capacity of water from measured energy, mass and temperature rise.
Model answer
Specific heat capacity = energy supplied ÷ (mass × temperature rise).
3
Name the instrument used to measure the temperature of the water while its specific heat capacity is being determined.
Model answer
A thermometer, or a temperature probe connected to a data logger.
4
Explain why the water should be stirred while it is heated during a determination of the specific heat capacity of water.
Model answer
Stirring spreads the energy evenly, so the thermometer reads the true temperature of all the water.
5
Give the main reason the specific heat capacity of water found by electrical heating is usually larger than the accepted value.
Model answer
Some energy is transferred to the container and the surroundings, so more energy is recorded than the water actually gains.
6
Explain how lagging the beaker improves a determination of the specific heat capacity of water.
Model answer
It reduces the energy lost to the surroundings, so more of the energy supplied goes into the water.

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