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Grades 9–12. Heat up your study of thermodynamics with this 2-activity kit that investigates the thermodynamics of physical and chemical changes that absorb and release heat energy. Using a coffee cup calorimeter, students calculate the heats of a solution of 2 salt compounds. In the 2nd activity, students determine the heat of combustion of a hydrocarbon using a soda can calorimeter. Materials support 1 class of 10 groups and include digital resources.

A room temperature first aid pack rapidly becoming cold serves as the investigative phenomenon for this series of investigations. Students investigate physical and chemical changes in matter that result in the absorption or release of thermal energy. Using a calorimeter containing a known mass of water, student groups measure the change in temperature of the water caused by dissolving 2 salt compounds. The changes in temperature are used to calculate the heat of solution for each salt. In a second investigation, students measure energy changes that occur in a combustion reaction. Through these investigations students are tasked with making sense of chemical and physical processes to answer the driving question, “Why do some changes in matter result in a change in temperature?” Kit materials support 1 class of 10 groups of 3.

Time Requirement
Total, 120 minutes. Teacher prep, 30 minutes. Pre-lab as homework. Two investigations, 60 minutes. Assessment, 30 minutes.

Digital Resources
Includes 1-year access to digital resources that support 3-dimensional instruction for NGSS. Digital resources may include a teacher manual and student guide, pre-lab activities and setup videos, phenomenon videos, simulations, and post-lab analysis and assessments.

Performance Expectations
HS-PS1-4
HS-PS3-1

Crosscutting Concepts
Energy and Matter

Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS3.A: Conservation of Energy Transfer
PS1.B: Chemical Reactions

Science and Engineering Practices
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

Learning Objectives

• Use mathematics and computational thinking to show how energy is transferred to and from a system.
• Explain the relationship between temperature and the flow of heat.
• Compare and contrast heat of solution with heat of combustion.
• Explain the relationship between changes in matter and changes in energy.

Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills
Students should know the difference between a physical change and a chemical change; have an understanding of ionic compounds and solutions; have the ability to write and balance chemical equations; and have knowledge of heat, temperature, and thermal energy flow.