Activity Sheet

Explaining hotness or coldness

Objective:

This first activity deals with one of the major effects of heat transfer, which is temperature change. You
will describe the hotness or coldness of an object in terms of its temperature. You will also compare the
changes in the temperature of water to determine the relationship between the amount of heat transferred and
the resulting temperature change.

Materials Needed:
3 identical containers (beaker)
thermometer
hot water
tap water (room temperature)
cold water

Procedure:
1. Half-fill the three containers with equal amount of cold water. Arrange them next to one another as shown in
Figure 1 below.

2. Place your finger for a while into any of the containers.

Try to recall your lesson on Heat Transfer in Grade 7 and answer the following questions:

Q1. What actually transferred when you dipped your finger into the water? In what direction did it
transfer?
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Q2. Was the water ‘hot’ or ‘cold’? Explain.

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Discuss your answers with the group. Try to estimate the temperature of the water in the containers.

3. Measure with a thermometer the temperature of the water in each container. Record your measurements in
the table below. (Note: The initial temperature of the water in each container should be the same as they come
from the same source.)

Q3. How close is your estimated value to the measured temperature of the water?
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 Activity Sheet
What happens when ice melts?
Objective:
After this activity, you should be able to answer this question:
What happens to the temperature of water while changing from ice to liquid water?

Materials needed:
crushed ice
1 glass container
timer (stopwatch)
stirring rod

Procedure:
1. Put some crushed ice and a little cold water into the container.

2. Stir the contents of the container for few seconds; then, measure the temperature of the contents.

Avoid letting the thermometer touch the bottom of the container to ensure that you are actually measuring the
temperature of the water.

Record your temperature reading in the table below.

3. Repeat step 2 every 2 minutes. Make sure that you stir and measure exactly the same way each time.
Record each measurement in the table.

Q18. Why does the ice inside the container melt after sometime?
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4. Continue measuring until the ice has totally melted and even after it has already melted completely (around
4-6 minutes more).

5. Construct a temperature against time graph. Draw a smooth line that passes through almost all the points.

Q19. Which is your dependent variable? Which is your independent variable? (Note that the
independent quantity is plotted along the X-axis while the dependent quantity is plotted along the Y-axis.
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Q20. Describe your graph.

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Q21. Describe the temperature of the water while the ice melting.
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Q22. Describe the temperature of the water after the ice has melted.
 Activity Sheet
What happens to the temperature of water as it boils?

Materials:
beaker
stirrer
thermometer (can measure up to 100°C)
alcohol burner
water (hot water)
stand or tripod with wire gauze

Procedure:
1. Fill the beaker with 100 mL hot water and place it above the alcohol burner using the tripod with wire gauze.

2. Measure and record the temperature of the water every 2 minutes until it boils. Once the water starts to boil,
continue taking the temperature for 4-6 more minutes.

3. Plot the graph of temperature against time.

Q23. Describe and interpret your graph.

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Q24. What similarities and differences have you noticed between your graphs in Activity 6 and Activity
7?
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