Boiling Water Lab

Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to observe the three states of matter as well as to figure out the melting and boiling points of water. Calculations of the quantity of heat needed to reach these points will be completed.

Materials:

1 150mL beaker

1 glass-stirring rod

1 hot plate

1 alcohol thermometer

Ice

Electronic balance

Procedure:

  1. Check and make sure that you have all needed equipment and/or you know where to find all needed equipment.
  2. Mass your glass beaker on the balance and record its mass in grams
  3. Put your beaker on the balance and zero it out. Place 100g of water and ice in the beaker.
  4. Measure the temperature of the ice water and record this value as Temp. Initial.
  5. Place the beaker on the hot plate. Record the time as T0.
  6. Record temperatures every 3-minutes. If the water should begin to boil before time for a temperature-reading take the reading then so you will see the temperature at boiling.
  7. Record all data in your table
  8. When almost (do not let the beaker run dry) all the water is completely evaporated you may then cut off your hotplate and ask your teacher to take the beaker and set it on the lab station to cool.
  9. Make sure all hotplates are cut off and that all of your materials are placed neatly back where you found them. If you spilled water take a paper towel and wipe it up.
  10. Wash your hands before sitting back down.

Data:

Mass of Empty Beaker: ______

Mass of Ice and Water: ______

Time (seconds) / Temperature (Celsius)
0 (Initial Time) / (Initial Temp)

Questions:

  1. What temperature should water freeze at?
  1. What was the temperature measured of the ice in the beaker?
  1. What was is the boiling temperature of water?
  1. What temperature measured did the water in the beaker boil at?
  1. How many C was your thermometer off when measuring the temperatures? Show Work!
  1. Using the equation for the quantity of heat calculate the quantity of heat needed to begin boiling the water.

Q= mCpT

Quantity of heat is equal to the mass of a substance (water) x the specific heat of water (4.18 J/g*C) x the change in temperature (Tf- Ti).

  1. What states of matter did you observe in this lab?

Conclusion: (State what you learned in your lab. What were some causes for error in measurements? What obstacles did you face in boiling the water?)