Heat of Fusion
Recommended for grades 6–12.
Introduction
During melting, heat is absorbed by the melting solid. In this experiment, you will determine how much heat is needed to melt 1 g of ice. Heat has units of joules (J). The heat used to melt the ice will come from the cooling of warm water and will be measured with a calorimeter. A calorimeter is an insulated container fitted with a device for measuring temperature. You will use a simple calorimeter made of a Styrofoam cup, a 250 mL beaker, and a Temperature Probe.
Objectives
In this experiment, you will
- Use a calorimeter.
- Make temperature measurements.
- Analyze the data collected.
- Determine heat of fusion for ice (in J/g).
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Download Experiment Preview
The student-version preview includes:
- Step-by-step instructions for computer-based data collection
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.
Standards Correlations
See all standards correlations for Physical Science with Vernier »
Included in the Lab Book
Vernier lab books include a CD with word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.