specific heat capacity

• step 1

  investigate a solid material, need a block of the material with two holes in it
• step 2

  measure the mass of the block then wrap it in an insulating layer to reduce energy transferred to the surroundings

  insert the thermometer and heater
• step 3

  measure initial temperature of the block and set potential difference of power supply to 10V.

  turn on power supply and start a stop watch
• step 4

  current in the circuit does work on the heater transferring energy electrically from power supply to the heater's thermal energy store.

  then transferred to the material's thermal store by heating causing the temperature to increase
• step 5

  as the block heats up take readings of the temperature and current every minute for 10 minutes
• step 6

  collect 10 readings, turn off power supply

  Using p=V x I to calculate power supplied to the heater

  E=P x T to calculate how much energy has been transferred to the heater