Experiment 3

THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM

Introduction:
It is observed that a higher temperature object which is in contact with a lower
temperature object will transfer heat to the lower temperature object. The objects will
approach the same temperature, and in the absence of loss to other objects, they will
then maintain a constant temperature. They are then said to be in thermal equilibrium. 

Objective:
1. To observe how does thermal equilibrium occur.
2. To know how heat transfers from one point to another.

Materials:
Thermometer
500 mL beaker
300 mL tap water
Aluminum block (2.5 grams)
Copper block (2.5 grams)
Ice cube (10 grams)
Bunsen burner
Iron Clamp
Iron Stand
Wire gauze

Methodology:
1. Set up the iron stand and put the wire gauze on the iron ring.
2. Measure the room temperature of water in the beaker (T=25 deg C)(Use Cp=4.184
J/g.C)
3. Hold the aluminum block using the iron clamp and heat it using the bunsen burner
until it reaches a temperature of 400 deg C. (Use Cp = 0.897 J/g.C)
4. Submerge it into the tap water. Observe the temperature until it is no longer
changing. Take note of the final temperature of the water.
5. Repeat the procedure for Copper , but this time heat it until it reaches 500 deg C.
(Use Cp=0.385 J/g.C)
6. Submerge it into the water. Observe the temperature until t is no longer changing.
(Take the final temperature of the water from the aluminum experiment as its initial
temperature .) Take note of the new final temperature of the water.
7. Now, submerge the 10 grams of ice cube (T=3 deg C) into the water. Take note of
the new final temperature of the water using the thermometer.
Laboratory Set-Up:

Results and Discussion :

Aluminum Copper Ice cube

Initial Temp in deg C
Final Temp in deg C

Initial temp of water:__________

Final Temp of water after Aluminum is submerged:_________
Initial Temp of water before Copper is submerged:__________
Final Temp of water after Copper is submerged:__________
Initial Temp of water before ice cube is submerged:_________
Final Temp of water after ice cube is submerged:___________

Study Questions:
1. What is heat transfer?
2. How does heat capacity affects heat transfer?
3. Why is there a thermal equilibrium?