Tafila Technical University

Faculty of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Report of mechanical equivalent.

Thermodynamics lab

:Student name

:Instructor Name
  Introduction
the mechanical equivalent of heat states
that motion and heat are mutually interchangeable and
that in every case, a given amount of work would generate
the same amount of heat, provided the work done is totally
converted to heat energy. The mechanical equivalent of
heat was a concept that had an important part in the
development and acceptance of the conservation of
energy and the establishment of the science
of thermodynamics in the 19th century.

The original development of the law of conservation of

energy proceeded slowly. One of the last important ideas
that was needed for a complete, consistent theory was the
development of the science of thermodynamics. Finding the
connection between mechanical energy and heat (thermal
energy) was a crucial step in this understanding. Joule did
the original experiment to find equivalence between the
units of mechanical energy (in Joules!) and units of heat
(calories). His experiment dealt with a system of falling
weights that converted the lost potential energy of the
system into thermal energy in a container of water that was
being stirred by a paddle driven by the falling weights. Our
experiment is similar in nature. We will do work on our
system by turning a handle against the force of friction and
using this energy to warm an aluminum cylinder. Thus the
mechanical energy introduced into our system will be the
work done by friction. The work (in Joules) done by a friction
force can be calculated by 1) Wf = f ∆s = f (2 π r) N, where f is
the friction force, r is the radius of the cylinder and N is the
number of turns through which the cylinder rotates. The
 heat energy, ∆Q, (in calories) transferred into the aluminum
cylinder can be Calculated by observing the temperature,
∆T, rise of the aluminum and calculating the following: 2) ∆Q
= m C ∆T

 Data analysis
Table 1
N of Temp W (j) Q (cal) J
rev c (j/cal)
0 0 20 0 0 0
1 200 24 3581.8 1694.1 2.11
2 400 28 7193.2 3388.21 2.12
3 600 33 10745.36 5505.85 1.95
4 800 38 14327.15 7623.48 1.87
5 1000 42 17908.94 9317.59 1.922
 30

25

20

temp
15

10

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
number of rev

 Sample of calculation

w = (mi - ms–msp) * 9.8 *π*d*N

W = ( 4-.25 +13 ) *9.8*3.14*.15*200
W1 =3581.8 J

Q = ((MCW) +(MCd) ∆t
Q = (.350*1+.825*87.9)*4
Q= 1694.10 cal

Joules = W/Q = 3581.8/1694.10 = 2.11