PHYSICS 1 LABORATORY MANUAL

NAME: DATE PERFORMED:

Subject: INSTRUCTOR:  

EXPERIMENT NO. 01
1ST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS
INTRODUCTION
Write a discussion of theory on the 1 st Law of Thermodynamics. Fill-up this page
with the discussion, it should be handwritten. Also include your reference/s after the
discussion.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES
After completion of the activity, the student should be able to:
1. relate internal energy, heat, and mechanical work in thermodynamic systems.
2. describe the direction of heat flow in natural processes.

I. EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS
small pack of pocorn kernels
pot with lid
stove for cooking

II. PROCEDURE
Watch the videolink below and observe carefully the process of making
popcorns applying the 1st Law of Thermodynamics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fK1fcbYz0I

Or, if you have the materials, you can do the activity yourself.

How it is done:
1. Using the stove, place the pot over low fire and wait until the pot becomes hot.
Be careful not to touch the sides of the pot.
2. Put a little cooking oil unto the pot and then place the popcorn kernels in the pot
and cover it with the lid.
3. Wait for a few minutes, then observe what happens to the popcorn kernels.
4. As the popcorn kernels start to pop, what do you observe on the lid of the pot?
As the popcorn kernels start to pop, the lid of the pot starts to move up. This
happened because the popcorn is expanding. As the popcorn expand, it pushes
the lid of the pot upward to give space to other popcorns to expand.

To analyze the activity above,it is important for you to know what is in the
system. What do you think is the thermodynamic system that we should consider
here? Is it the popcorn, the pot, the lid, or the stove? In order for us to describe
clearly the energy transfer in and out of the system, we only have to consider
the popcorn to be the thermodynamic system and the pot and its lid to be the
surroundings.

 If popcorn is not available, you can use rice cooked traditionally, such that
the lid of the pot should move. 😊

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III. Troubleshooting/Reflection (5 points each)

Problem Reason Action done to fix the

encountered problem
1

IV. REFLECTIONS AND CONCLUSION:

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After doing this experiment, I learned how the first law of

thermodynamics work. The first law of thermodynamics is a version of
the law of conservation of energy, adapted for thermodynamic
processes, distinguishing two kinds of transfer of energy, as heat and
as thermodynamic work, and relating them to a function of a body's
state, called internal energy. This law also stated that energy cannot
be created nor destroyed, but it can be transferred. I also learned
what is internal energy. Internal energy, in thermodynamics, the
property or state function that defines the energy of a substance in the
absence of effects due to capillarity and external electric, magnetic,
and other fields.These are observable in the process of the
experiment, wherein the heat from fire transferred to the pot then it
goes to the kernels. As a result, the internal energy of the popcorn
increases that made it to expand or popped.

In conlusion, this experiment provide explanation in the first law of

thermodynamics. It also helped me to relate the internal energy, heat
and mechanical work in thermodynamic system. Because the
experiment showed me the heat tranfer between the materials. It also
showed the mechanical work happening in the popcorn. To sum it up
the activity is helpful to us to understand the first law of
thermodynamics.

V. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: (10 points)

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Choose your answer from the choices inside the parentheses and provide
an explanation for your answer. (2 points each)

1. When the popcorn inside the pot was placed over fire,
what quantity is being added into the system? (heat or
work).
The quantity added in the system is heat. This is obvious
because with presence of fire, it procuces heat that is
transferred in the pot.

2. What happened to the kernels after heat is supplied to

them? (burn or expand)
The kernel expand after heat is supplied to them. As the
kernel heats up, the water expands, building pressure
against the hard starch surface. Eventually, this outer
layer gives way, causing the popcorn to explode. As it
explodes, the soft starch inside the popcorn becomes
inflated and bursts, turning the kernel inside out.
3. What changes took place in the popcorn? Enumerate the
changes that you observed.
a. The moisture from the popcorn turns to steam.
b. The popcorn expand.
c. The popcorn also explodes.
d. The popcorns’ temperature increased.

4. Because of these changes in the state of the popcorn, what

happened to its internal energy? (decrease or increase)
With all these changes, the internal energy of the popcorn
increased. This is because of the energy transferred due to the
heat.

5. As all popcorn kernels have popped, what do you observe with

the lid of the pot? (nothing or moving up)
As all popcorn kernels have popped, the lid of of the pot starts
to move up. This because the popcorn pushed their way out
to give space to other popcorn inside to expand.

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RATING SHEET
5 3 1 RATING
Data collection Follows and Follows the Does not
(values, answers interprets the procedure and follow the
to questions and procedure to asks questions to procedure and
pictures included) collect data collect data asks questions
X2 to collect data
Data All data can be Some data are The data
Presentation easily hardly cannot be
understood and understood and understood
interpreted interpreted and
interpreted
Troubleshooting Problems were Problems were No problem
(x2) dentified and dentified but were was identified
were given not given proper
proper solution solution
Reflection/ Learning Learning Learning
Conclusion outcomes was outcomes was not outcomes was
achieved. completely not achieved.
achieved.
Questions and Answers to Some answers Most of the
answers (x2) questions are are inaccurate answers are
accurate inaccurate
Discussion of Topics are Topics are related Topics are
Theory (x2) related to the to the experiment notrelated to
experiment performed, the
performed, written neatly but experiment
written neatly incompletely. performed,
and completely. written and
incompletely.
TOTAL /50
SCORE

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