6.

EXPERIMENT E6: ELECTRICAL EQUIVALENT OF HEAT OBJECTIVES In this experiment, you can learn about the principle of energy conservation, verify that the electrical energy dissipated in a conductor is converted to heat energy, which leads to a temperature increase in the surroundings. Finally the Joules constant is determined. THEORY Consider a circuit consisting of an alternating-current power source with emf the corresponding potential difference resistor is , and a resistance and

. The power dissipated by the

(6.1) where is the current. If such a circuit is kept closed for a time interval dissipated through the resistor is , the amount of electrical energy

(6.2)

This energy is irreversibly converted to the kinetic energy of the particles inside the resistor and thus the surrounding medium, by means of particle collisions. If the wire is surrounded by water of mass , for instance, the average kinetic energy of water , such that the heat will be (assuming that the heatmolecules will increase. The temperature will therefore rise by energy gained by water in the same time interval diffusion time scale is much smaller)

(6.3) where calories (cal). The ratio (6.4) is called Joules constant. Its value is about 39 . is the specific heat of water. In cgs units, is measured in

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE 1. Fill the thermos with of water (assume its density to be ). Measure the

temperature of the water using a thermometer and record it on the table 6.1. 2. Set up the circuit shown in Fig. 6.1.

Figure 6.1 Set-up for Joules constant measurements.

3. Switch on the circuit to start the experiment, when you start the chronometer. 4. Record the values of the current and voltage drop (potential difference) using the ammeter and voltmeter, respectively. Record them on the table 6.1. 5. Stop the chronometer when the temperature increases by about elapsed and the final temperature on the table 6.1. 6. Calculate the work done by the current during the experiment, or the energy dissipated in the wire, using Eq. (6.2) in joules and record on the table 6.1. . Record the time

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7. Calculate the heat energy gained by water using Eq. (6.3) in calorie and record on the table 6.1. 8. Calculate the Joules constant using Eq. (6.4) and record it on the table 6.1. 9. Calculate the percentage error (see appendix). Record it on the table 6.1.

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LABORATORY REPORT: CALCULATIONS

Name Faculty number Date Instructor name

: _______________________ : _______________________ : _______________________ : _______________________ Instructors signature: ____________

These blanks must be written in pen (not pencil).

Table 6.1 Calculation of Joules constant.

cal

Show your work here:

FURTHER READING [1] Young, H.D., Freedman, R. 2012, University Physics with Modern Physics, 13th ed., Addison-Wesley.

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