Name: _________________________________ Date: __________________ Class: _____________

Physics
Heating Up Water Lab
PROBLEM: How does the temperature change as water is heated and boiled with a constant
flow of thermal (heat) energy?

HYPOTHESIS: _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

MATERIALS: hot plate (or Bunsen burner), 250 mL beaker, water, thermometer, clock, goggles,
graduated cylinder

PROCEDURE: 1. Turn the dial on the hot plate to the medium setting. Allow a few minutes for the
hot plate to heat up. Put on your goggles.
2. Pour 150 mL of water into a 250 mL beaker.
3. Measure the initial temperature of the water. Keep the thermometer in the water
but not touching the sides or bottom of the beaker.
4. Place the beaker of water on the hot plate and record the temperature every 1
minute. Carefully stir the water before taking a temperature reading.
5. Record the time when the water starts to boil. Continue recording the temperature
of the water for 4 additional minutes after the water begins to boil.
6. Carefully remove the beaker from the hot plate and record the final water
temperature.
7. Turn off the hot plate and remove goggles.

OBSERVATIONS:
1. Make a data table showing time in minutes in the first column and temperature in degrees in Celsius
in the second column.
 2. Make a graph of your data. Put time in minutes on the x-axis and temperature in degrees Celsius on
the y-axis.

3. Write any other observations you made in this lab.

ANALYSIS:
1. Describe the shape of the graph for the heating of the water for the entire lab.

2. What is the heat energy given to the water during the first 3 minutes? (Hint: use Q = mcΔT)
 3. Why did the graph flatten out near the end of the heating?

4. Where is the energy from the hot plate going when the water is boiling? Explain.

5. Would the graph of your data be different if there was more water or less water? Explain.

6. If the steam was captured in a container and was safely heated, what would you expect would
happen to the slope of your water’s graph line if you continued to take the temperature of the steam
every minute? Draw the shape of the graph’s line in your answer.

CONCLUSION: Re-answer the original problem on this lab using observations to support your
conclusion.