Name: _____________________________________________
UNIT 6: Meteorology
Date: ______________
Period: _____________ Group _______________________________
LAB 6-2: HEAT TRANSFER BY CONDUCTION
INTRODUCTION: Where there is a difference in temperature between any two objects or regions in
contact, energy will be transferred from high potential to low potential by conduction. While
some heat is released from Earth's interior, most energy is absorbed at Earth's surface from
radiant energy from the sun. Conduction of heat is a slow process for moving heat within the air
or ocean water. However, conduction is a significant process in transferring heat between Earth's
surface and the air in contact with that surface.
OBJECTIVE: You will be able to utilize electronic probes to measure and explain heat flow by means
of conduction from one region to another.
VOCABULARY:
conduction:
rate of change:
calorimeter:
conservation of energy:
MATERIALS:
2 calorimeters
Styrofoam lids
aluminum bar
LabQuest
2 temperature probes
USB cable
1
PROCEDURE A: SETTING UP THE ELECTRONIC PROBES
1. Obtain a LabQuest from its charging station.
LabQuest number: _______________________
2. Insert the temperature probes into Channel 1 and Channel 2 on the
interface
3. Turn the power on.
4. Tap File - Open on the touch screen.
5. Open P-4: Heat Transfer by Conduction
PROCEDURE B: DATA COLLECTION
1. Assemble the equipment as illustrated by the diagram below. Replace the thermometers with
the temperature probes.
THE PROBE IN CHANNEL 1 MUST BE INSERTED IN THE HOT CUP;
THE PROBE IN CHANNEL 2 MUST BE INSERTED IN THE COLD CUP.
2. Fill one insulated cup with cold water. Your teacher will fill the second cup with hot water.
Quickly replace the lid assembly.
3. When the temperature in the hot cup stops rising, click the COLLECT button on the LabQuest.
Either tap the green button on the lower left corner of the screen, or click the
collect button on the front of the unit. The icon will change to red.
2
4. While the data is being collected, predict your results on the graph below.
Temperature
Time
5. At the end of twenty minutes, the probes will automatically stop collecting temperature data.
You will notice that the red icon has changed again to green.
6. Save your work to the LabQuest by tapping File - Save. Highlight the word "untitled" at the top
of the screen. Tap the keyboard icon to give your file a name.
7. Disconnect all equipment. Power off the LabQuest by holding the power button down until the
screen goes black.
8. Return the LabQuest to the charging station. The temperature probes should be replaced in the
plastic bags.
9. Clean up your lab station.
3
PROCEDURE C: PRINTING THE GRAPH AND DATA TABLE
1. Use the USB cable to connect the LabQuest to the computer. Be sure your connections are
tight.
2. Log into the computer and open Logger Lite
3. You will see a dialogue box prompting you to upload remote data. Choose Yes.
4. You will see your graph displayed on the screen.
5. To scale your graph properly, click the AUTOSCALE icon, shown in the picture to
the right.
6. Save your work to your home directory.
7. To print, click File - Print Graph, and then Print Data Table. These should be two separate
pages.
8. Be sure to print a copy of both the Graph and Data Table for each member of your group.
9. Disconnect the LabQuest and return it to the charging station.
4
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (Answer the following in complete sentences on a separate sheet
of paper. You may type your answers.)
1. At the start, which calorimeter had the most energy?
2. Which calorimeter lost energy?
3. Which calorimeter was a heat source?
4. In which direction did the heat energy flow?
5. Compare the amount of energy lost by one cup to the amount of energy gained by the other cup.
6. Explain the difference between the amount of energy lost by one cup and the amount of energy
gained by the other.
7. How does your graph show that there is a change in the rate of the heat lost or gained as time
passed?
8. How did the rate of heat loss from the hot cup change during the experiment?
9. If the experiment were left standing for 24 hours, what predictions could you make about the
temperatures of the cups?
10. How could you modify the equipment to increase the rate of heat transfer from the hot cup to the
cold cup?
11. Explain why there is a change in the rate of energy exchange as time passes.
CONCLUSION: Explain how heat energy is transferred from the water in one calorimeter to the
water of the other calorimeter.
5