Name:

PHY202 Virtual Lab: Mechanical Equivalent of Heat

Instructions
Follow the below link, or copy/paste it into your web browser to access the lab:

https://www.gigaphysics.com/mech_equiv_lab.html

Objectives
• To investigate the relationship between potential energy (mechanical) and thermal energy (heat).

Introduction
This experiment demonstrates one of the most important relationships dealing with energy; the connection
between mechanical and thermal energy. One of the famous experiments in the history of Physics was performed
by James Joule, the man for whom the energy unit was named. In his experiment, he found that one Btu of "heat"
energy was equivalent to 778 ft lb of mechanical energy. Using alternate units, this corresponds to 1 calorie of
“heat” energy being equivalent to 4.186 J of mechanical energy. This experiment is designed to verify this
mechanical energy equivalent of heat energy value.

In this experiment a (virtual) sample of metal shot is placed in a tube, which is then flipped end-over-end many
times. Each time, the shot is raised to a certain height before it falls. In other words, in flipping the tube, work
is done on the shot to give it potential energy:
PE = mgh (Equation 1)

The law of the conservation of energy tells us that the potential energy is eventually converted into "heat" that is
ultimately added to the shot, causing a temperature change in the shot:
Q = mc∆T (Equation 2)
Activity 1:
1. Use the ‘Choose a metal’ menu to select copper.

2. Click and drag the ruler and bring it next to the tube to measure the distance the shot will fall, h. Record
this distance in the table below.

3. Click ‘Open Tube’, then click and drag the shot to the mass balance. The balance will display the mass
of the shot in grams. Convert this value to kilograms and record it in the table below for the mass m.

4. Next, click and drag the shot onto the red laser dot in front of the infrared thermometer. The thermometer
will display the temperature in Celsius. Record the temperature reading as the initial temperature, Ti in
the table below.

Distance (h) Mass (m) Initial Temp (Ti)

1.6 m 571.2 g 21.5 C
5. Click ‘Close Tube’ to place the shot back in the tube. To flip the tube, and thereby lift the shot through a
height h, click ‘Flip Tube’. Continue flipping the tube until it has been flipped 30-40 times. Note the
counter displayed will help you keep track. Record the number of flips, N, in the table on the next page.
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6. Click ‘Open Tube’ and drag the shot back in front of the thermometer to measure the final temperature,
Tf. Record the final temperature in the table below.

Number of flips (N) Final Temp (Tf)

30 22.6 C

7. Calculate the total distance the shot fell by multiplying the number of flips N with the distance fallen for
each flip h. Record this in the table below.

8. Calculate the total potential energy of the shot using this height and record it in the table below.

Total Distance Fallen (Nh) Total Potential Energy (PE = mgNh)

48.0 m 268 J

9. Using the final and initial temperature readings, calculate the total change in temperature, ΔT = Tf - Ti, of
the shot and record in the table below.

10. Using Equation 2, calculate the heat energy gained, Q, by the shot that caused it to undergo this
temperature change and record it in the table below. Note the specific heat of copper is 387 J/kg·°C.

Change in Temp (ΔT) Heat Gained by Shot (Q)

1.1 C 243.2 J

11. Calculate the % difference between the total potential energy of the shot and the heat gained using the
following equation:
PE − Q
% difference = × 100 = __________
9.25 %
PE

12. Click ‘Reset Experiment’ and repeat steps 1-11 for copper using 60-70 flips. Record your data in the table
below. Note: the distance, mass, and initial temperature are randomized, so you must complete all steps.

Distance (h) 1.9 m

Mass (m) 507.5 g
Initial Temp (Ti) 22.4 C
Number of flips (N) 70
Final Temp (Tf) 25.5
Total Distance Fallen (Nh) 133 m
Total Potential Energy (PE = mgNh) 662 J
Change in Temp (ΔT) 3.1 C
Heat Gained by Shot (Q) 608.8 J
% Difference 8.04%

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Activity 2:
13. Click ‘Reset Experiment’. Click ‘Choose a metal’ and select lead. Measure the distance and click ‘Open
Tube’ and measure the initial temp. Record these values in the table below. Note: you will not need the
mass for this activity.

Distance (h) Initial Temp (Ti)

1.6 m 21.1 C

14. Click ‘Close Tube’ and flip the tube 30-40 times. When done, click ‘Open Tube’ and measure the final
temp. Record these values in the table below.

Number of flips (N) Final Temp (Tf)

30 24.4

15. In Activity 1, you demonstrated that the gravitational potential energy before the shot falls is equal to the
heat gained at the end of the fall. Use this concept to set up an equation and solve it for the specific heat
of lead. Show your work on separate paper, or in the space below, and record your result below:

142.7
clead = ___________ J / (kg ⋅°C )

16. Given the ‘actual’ specific heat of lead has a value of 128 J/(kg·°C), calculate the % difference between
the actual value and your experimental value from #15:

Actual - Experiment
% difference = × 100 = __________
-11.5 %
Actual

17. Click ‘Reset Experiment’. Click ‘Choose a metal’ and select aluminum. Repeat the procedures in 13-16
to fill out the table below. You do not have to show your work for calculating the specific heat. Note:
the ‘actual’ value for the specific heat of aluminum is given to be 900 J/(kg·°C).

Distance (h) 1.6 m

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 Initial Temp (Ti) 20.2 C
Number of flips (N) 30
Final Temp (Tf) 21.7 C
Experimental specific heat (caluminum) 902.52 J/kgC
% Difference -0.28%

18. Describe a situation in “real life” where the equations or concepts in this lab can be used.

In this lab, we showed that heat energy is directly translatable to mechanical energy. One area in real life
this would be used is in deciding a material for use within a machine where some kinetic energy is lost and
transferred into heat energy, and where the temperature must be controlled.