PHYS 2202 LAB: Physics II

Week 08
Joule Heating of a Resistor
by
[Insert Student’s Name]

Due Date:
Objective
The main objective of this lab is to determine the experimental value, J exp of electrical
equivalent of heat and to compare it with Jtheory.
Equipment Used
 Immersion heater coil
 Calorimeter
 Thermometer
 Direct current power supply (5A at 6 V)
 Ammeter (0-5A)
 Voltmeter (0-10 V)
 Laboratory timer
 Laboratory balance
 Calibrated masses
Theory
We will consider an experimental arrangement in which a resistor coil (also called an
immersion heater) is immersed in the water in a calorimeter. The heat 𝑄 produced in
the resistor is absorbed by the water, calorimeter cup, and the resistor coil itself. This
heat 𝑄 produces a rise in temperature Δ𝑇. The heat 𝑄 is related to Δ𝑇 by,
Q=( mw c w +mc c c +m R c R ) ( ΔT ) where the 𝑚′𝑠 and 𝑐′𝑠 are the masses and specific heats
of the water, calorimeter, and the resistor. Let 𝑚𝑐 stand for the sum of the product of
mass and specific heat for the three objects that absorb the heat. In those terms the
heat a is given by the following: Q=mcΔT . A given amount of electrical energy
absorbed in the resistor (in units of joules) produces a fixed amount of heat (in units
of calories). The constant ratio between the two has the value: J = 4.186
𝑗𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑠/𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑒
Procedure
Determine the mass mC of the calorimeter cup. Obtain the specific heat of the
calorimeter cup cc, the mass of the resistor coil m R, and its specific heat c R. Place
enough water in the calorimeter cup to completely immerse the resistor coil and
determine the mass of the water plus the calorimeter cup. Place the immersion
heater in the calorimeter cup. Turn on the power supply and adjust the current and
turn off the supply with the output level still adjusted to the setting which produced 2
amperes. Stir the system several minutes to allow it to come to equilibrium and
determine the initial temperature 𝑇𝑖. Turn on the power supply and simultaneously
start the laboratory timer and record the initial values of the current 𝐼 and the voltage
𝑉. Let the timer run continuously and stir the system and measure and record the
temperature 𝑇, the current 𝐼, and the voltage 𝑉 every 60 seconds for eight minutes.
Perform the calculations to calculate the m C, temperature rise Δ𝑇 above the initial
temperature 𝑇𝑖 for each of the measured values of 𝑇, 𝑚𝑐Δ𝑇 for each case, product
𝑉𝐼 for each measurement of the voltage 𝑉 and current 𝐼, mean 𝑉𝐼 and standard
deviation of the mean 𝜎𝑚𝑉𝐼 for the values of 𝑉𝐼, quantity 𝑉𝐼𝑡 for each time 𝑡, slope 𝐽𝑒𝑥𝑝,
the intercept 𝐴, and the correlation coefficient 𝑟 linear least squares fit and the
percentage error in the value of 𝐽𝑒𝑥𝑝. Record all the results in Data Table and
Calculations Table.
Data Analysis
Mass calorimeter + water = 230.2g Ti = 25oC
Mass calorimeter = 30.2g c for calorimeter = 0.22 cal/gm. oC
Mass water = 200g c for water = 1.01 cal/gm. oC
Let mrcr = me = the water equivalent in grams of heat mg coil etc = 6 gms
t (sec) V (volts) I (amperes) T (oC)

0 4.8 4 25
60 5 4 27
120 5.1 4 28
180 5.1 4 29.8
240 5.1 4 31
300 5.1 4 32
360 5.1 4 33.5
420 5.1 4 35
480 5.1 4 36
Data Table
Δ𝑇 (oC) mcΔ𝑇 (calories) VI (watts) VI t (joules)

0 0 19.2 0
2 425.288 20 1200
3 637.932 20.4 2448
4.8 1020.69 20.4 3672
6 1275.86 20.4 4896
7 1488.5 20.4 6120
8.5 1807.47 20.4 7344
10 2126.44 20.4 8568
11 2339.08 20.4 9792
VI = 20.22 watts 𝜎𝑚𝑉𝐼 = 0.38 watts
J𝑒𝑥𝑝 = 4.2388 joule/cal A = 344.47 joules r = 0.997
Percentage Error in experimental J = 0.012%
Calculations Table
Conclusion
We performed this lab to determine the experimental value, J exp of electrical
equivalent of heat and to compare it with J theory. All the data and calculation results
are recorded in the data analysis portion of the lab report in the tabular form. The
experimental J comes out to be 4.23 joules/calorie whereas the actual J was 4.186
joules/calorie. So, the lab experiment results are verified.