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Target Audience:
High school Physics
Objectives
Students Will Be Able To:
• Describe how heat is related to thermal energy.
• Relate specific heat to an object’s internal energy.
• Observe, take data, and keep notes during an experimental activity.
• Use equations to calculate an object/substance’s internal energy as well as the
change in internal energy in an object/substance for a given temperature change.
Standards Assessed:
Advanced Placement (AP) Physics B Competency Goal #31
• Objective 3.02: Evaluate and investigate temperature and heat
Misconception(s) Addressed:
• The application of heat to a body always results in a rise in temperature.
Lesson Plan
Aim: Collect information and data about thermal energy and heat transfer.
Small Group Activity: Experiment Stations and Two Stay: One Stray2 (25 min)
The class should be broken into groups of four or five so that there is an even number of
groups. Half of the groups should start at STATION I, with enough stations for each
group. The other half of the class should start at STATION II while the teacher guides the
observation. When students are working at their group’s first station, they should check
their results with the other groups (Two Stay: One Stray). After 10 minutes, the groups
should switch to the other station. This leaves 5 minutes for clean up.
Materials:
• Butter
• Spoons of different materials, such as plastic, wood, silver, and other metals.
• Glass beakers
• Glass flasks
• Hot water
• Balloons
• Hot plates
• Cold water in large container
• Activity sheets
Procedure:
STATION I: Butter and Spoons
• Place several spoons of different materials in a beaker without them touching each
other.
• Put a small pat of butter along the stem on each utensil at the same height.
• Pour some hot water into the beaker up to a level below the butter; measure water
temperature, and observe what happens.
• Students will record what happened to the butter and if it happened to each spoon.
Why did this happen?
• Fill a flask with 100 mL of water and a large beaker with 300mL cold water.
• Heat the flask over the Bunsen burner until hot.
• Measure the temperature of the hot water and the cold water.
• Seal the opening of the flask by securing a balloon on the lips of the flask.
• Have the students observe what happens to the balloon.
• Place the flask of hot water in a larger glass of cooled water and observe the
reaction of the balloon.
• After 5 minutes, students should measure the temperature of the hot water flask
and cold water beaker.
Assessment:
• Formative:
o Teacher plans to collect and review students’ activity sheets where they record
their observations as well as Hot Homework the next day.
o Student reactions during balloon activity.
References:
1
- http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/scos/2004/33apphysicsb
2
- Group activity found online, written by: Sally Ferrelle, Oglethorpe Academy, Savannah, GA
Becky McCoy
Experimental Observations:
Station I: Butter and Spoons
Materials:
• Various Spoons of Different Materials
o Spoon 1 Material:
o Spoon 2 Material:
o Spoon 3 Material:
o Spoon 4 Material:
• Butter Observations: What did you observe after
each procedural step? Is it what you thought
• Beaker would happen? Include your measurement of
• Hot Water the hot water temperature. Note what types of
heat transfer are occurring.
Procedure: Write in your procedure here.
Becky McCoy
Experimental Observations:
Station II: An Inflating Balloon
Measurements:
Initial Temperature of Hot Water – Final Temperature of Hot Water –
EXTRA CREDIT:
Calculate how much energy would be involved to bring the hot and cold water to the same
temperature. How long would it take?