IB Physics Experimental Report
Heating Water Experiment
Ethan Li
Research Question
How does the heat energy supplied, ( Q ), affect the temperature change, (
ΔT ), of a fixed mass of water, and how accurately can the specific heat
capacity of water be determined from this relationship?
Background Theory
When heat energy is supplied to a substance without a phase change, the
temperature change is given by:
where:
( Q ) is the heat energy supplied (J)
( m ) is the mass of the substance (kg)
( c ) is the specific heat capacity (J kg(^{-1}) °C(^{-1}))
( T ) is the temperature change (°C)
For a constant mass, this equation predicts a directly proportional
relationship between Q and ΔT. The gradient of a graph of Q against ΔT is
equal to m*c, allowing the experimental value of c to be determined.
The accepted value of the specific heat capacity of water is:
Variables
Independent Variable
Heat energy supplied to the water, ( Q ) (J)
Dependent Variable
Temperature change of the water, ( ΔT ) (°C)
Controlled Variables
Mass of water (200 g ± balance uncertainty)
Type of container
Initial temperature of water
Environmental conditions (room temperature, airflow)
Apparatus
Insulated container
Electrical immersion heater (rated power: 18.0 W)
Power supply (12.0 V DC)
Ammeter
Voltmeter
Stopwatch
Digital thermometer
Electronic balance
200 g of water
Method Overview
A fixed mass of 200 g of water was placed in an insulated container. Heat
energy was supplied using an electrical immersion heater connected to a DC
power supply. The electrical power of the heater was determined by
measuring the potential difference across the heater and the current through
it, using the relationship P=VI.
For each trial, the heater was switched on for a measured time interval ttt,
and the heat energy supplied to the water was calculated using Q=Pt. The
initial and final temperatures of the water were measured using a
thermometer, and the temperature change ΔT was calculated. For each
value of Q, three trials were conducted to allow averaging and uncertainty
analysis.
Raw Data
Table 1: Raw measurements of temperature change for different heat inputs
Data Processing
Averaging
For each heat input, the mean temperature change was calculated using:
Determination of Specific Heat Capacity
Rearranging the heat equation:
Using the mean value of ( ΔT ) and a mass of m = 0.200kg, the value of c
was calculated for each heat input. The calculated values ranged from 4125
to 4202 J kg(^{-1}) °C(^{-1}).
Uncertainty Analysis
Absolute uncertainties in ( ΔT ) were determined using the standard
deviation of repeated trials.
Absolute uncertainties in ( Q ) were obtained from electrical measurement
limitations.
Percentage uncertainties were calculated using:
Uncertainties were propagated through the calculation of ( c ), contributing
to variation in the calculated values.
Graph:
Conclusion
The results show a clear linear relationship between heat energy supplied
and temperature change, supporting the theoretical equation:
The experimentally determined specific heat capacity of water was
approximately:
This value agrees closely with the accepted value of 4186 J kg(^{-1})
°C(^{-1}) within experimental uncertainty. Therefore, the research
question is answered successfully, and the theoretical model accurately
describes the thermal behavior of water.
(Evaluation is on the next page)
Evaluation
Strengths of the Methodology
A major strength of this experiment is the use of a constant mass of
water, ensuring that changes in temperature were solely due to variations in
heat energy supplied. Multiple trials for each value of ( Q ) allowed mean
values and standard deviations to be calculated, significantly reducing the
impact of random uncertainty.
The wide range of heat inputs (500–4000 J) improved the reliability of the
linear relationship and reduced percentage uncertainty in the gradient.
Controlled environmental conditions and consistent apparatus use further
increased the validity of the results. The inclusion of error bars and
uncertainty propagation demonstrates strong quantitative treatment of data,
consistent with IB Physics IA expectations.
Weaknesses and Sources of Error
A key systematic error in this experiment is heat loss to the surroundings
due to imperfect insulation. Some of the supplied heat was lost to the
container and surrounding air rather than increasing the temperature of the
water. This results in a smaller measured temperature change and causes
the calculated value of the specific heat capacity to be slightly higher than
the true value.
Uncertainty in electrical measurements of power and time also affects the
accuracy of ( Q ), particularly at lower energy values where percentage
uncertainty is greater. Random uncertainty arises from thermometer
resolution and slight delays in recording the maximum temperature.
Improvements
To reduce heat loss, a better-insulated calorimeter with a lid could be
used. A digital temperature probe with data logging would reduce
reading uncertainty and eliminate human reaction time errors. Increasing the
mass of water would decrease percentage uncertainty in temperature
measurements, improving the precision of calculated values of ( c ).
Repeating each heat input more than three times would further reduce
random uncertainty through averaging and allow more reliable uncertainty
estimates.
Conclusion
Overall, this experiment produced reliable results that closely match
accepted physical theory. With improved insulation and more precise
temperature measurement techniques, the accuracy of the calculated
specific heat capacity could be further improved, increasing confidence in
the experimental conclusions.