Physics- Specific heat capacity(Practical)

• Determining the specific heat capacity of a material

  1. Place a beaker on a balance and press the zero button

  2. Add oil to the beaker and record the mass

  3. Place thermometer and immersion heater in the oil

  4. Place beaker in insulating foam

  5. Connect joulemeter to immersion heater

  6. Leave set up for 30 minutes

  7. Read total joules of energy passed into immersion heater and final oil temperature
• Specific heat capacity


  The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of a substance by one degree Celsius
• The equation to calculate specific heat capacity is: change in thermal energy = mass x specific heat capacity x temperature change
• The specific heat capacity is calculated as: change in thermal energy / (mass x temperature change)
• Potential sources of inaccuracy in the experiment

  • Thermal energy passing to the beaker and into the air
  • Not all thermal energy from the immersion heater passing into the oil
  • Incorrectly reading the thermometer
  • Thermal energy not spreading evenly through the oil