Lab- Specific Heat/Heat Capacity Name: _____________ Blk:__
Problem: Which liquid has the highest specific heat?
Procedure (Demo): Heat seven liquids for four minutes each. Determine the
temperature after four minutes and 30 minutes.
Background: Specific heat is the measure of the thermal energy (HEAT!) required to increase
the temperature of a substance by 1oC. Water’s specific heat is higher than most compounds.
In other words, it takes more energy than other substances to heat it up. Therefore the
temperature of water in a lake or ocean does not change very dramatically. If it did, the fish
and plants would die in the hot summer because the water would get too hot. It also takes a
lot of heat to cause water to evaporate, which keeps lakes and oceans from drying up.
What’s the point? Water heats up and cools down slowly, thereby protecting the
environment held within it.
Let’s prove it:
Beaker
Start
Temperature
Temperature
After
4 Minutes
Difference
Temperature
After 30
minutes
Difference
Did the
Liquid
Boil?
Isopropyl
Alcohol
Vegetable
Oil
Corn Syrup
Hydrogen
Peroxide
Vinegar
Glycerin
Water
Which liquid heated up the slowest? ______________________________ Cooled the slowest? ____________________
Three affects of water’s high heat capacity:
1. It prevents major temperature changes that would endanger plants and animals.
2. Coastal (Beach) areas have a milder climate than drier non-coastal areas.
3. Heating during the summer months is slowly released to the atmosphere throughout
the year, making the temperature of the earth more stable.