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Science lesson plan · 10th grade (Year 11 in England) · 30 minutes

Specific heat capacity and latent heat

States of matter

CCSS NGSS.HS-PS3-1CCSS NGSS.HS-PS3-4England: KS4 Combined Science: EnergyEngland: KS4 Combined Science: Particle model of matter

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Specific heat capacity and latent heat.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Melting and boiling points

Leads to: Specific latent heat (E = m L)

Materials: Ice, water and a kettle (teacher demo), Particle diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Melting and boiling points). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Ethanol melts at −114 °C and boils at 78 °C. What state is it in at −18 °C? (solid / liquid / gas) → liquidPrompt: Is the temperature below the melting point, between the two, or above the boiling point?
  2. Aluminium (aluminum) melts at 660 °C and boils at 2470 °C. Over how many degrees is it a liquid? → 1810 °CPrompt: It is a liquid between its melting point and its boiling point.
  3. Which of these substances is a liquid at room temperature (20 °C)? nitrogen: melts −210 °C, boils −196 °C copper: melts 1085 °C, boils 2562 °C bromine: melts −7 °C, boils 59 °C iron: melts 1538 °C, boils 2862 °C (nitrogen / iron / copper / bromine) → brominePrompt: A liquid at 20 °C melts below 20 °C and boils above 20 °C.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show an ice cube melting and a kettle steaming and ask what is the same and what is different.
  • Share the objective: Specific heat capacity and latent heat. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: How much energy is needed to heat 2 kg of water by 40 °C? The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J/kg °C. Give your answer in J.
  • Step 1: ΔE = 2 × 4200 × 40
  • Step 2: = 336000
  • Step 3: So the answer is: 336000 J
  • Answer: 336000 J
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. How much energy is needed to heat 2.5 kg of water by 10 °C? The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J/kg °C. Give your answer in J. → 105000 JPrompt: Use ΔE = m × c × Δθ.
  2. A 4 kg block of iron absorbs 45000 J and its temperature rises by 25 °C. What is the specific heat capacity of iron, in J/kg °C? → 450 J/kg°CPrompt: Rearrange ΔE = m × c × Δθ to find c.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. How much energy is needed to boil away 0.25 kg of water at 100 °C? The specific latent heat of vaporisation of water is 2 260 000 J/kg. Give your answer in J. → 565000 JPrompt: Use E = m × L.
  2. A 4 kg block of aluminium (aluminum) absorbs 180000 J and its temperature rises by 50 °C. What is the specific heat capacity of aluminium (aluminum), in J/kg °C? → 900 J/kg°CPrompt: Rearrange ΔE = m × c × Δθ to find c.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Melting and boiling points.
  • Use concrete materials: ice, water and a kettle (teacher demo).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Specific latent heat (E = m L).
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-10.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Specific heat capacity and latent heat

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    How much energy is needed to boil away 2 kg of water at 100 °C? The specific latent heat of vaporisation of water is 2 260 000 J/kg. Give your answer in J.

    AnswerJ

  2. Question 2

    How much energy is needed to heat 2 kg of water by 15 °C? The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J/kg °C. Give your answer in J.

    AnswerJ

  3. Question 3

    A 4 kg block of concrete absorbs 35200 J and its temperature rises by 10 °C. What is the specific heat capacity of concrete, in J/kg °C?

    AnswerJ/kg°C

  4. Question 4

    How much energy is needed to boil away 0.1 kg of water at 100 °C? The specific latent heat of vaporisation of water is 2 260 000 J/kg. Give your answer in J.

    AnswerJ

  5. Question 5

    How much energy is needed to heat 0.5 kg of water by 10 °C? The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J/kg °C. Give your answer in J.

    AnswerJ

  6. Question 6

    A 0.5 kg block of copper absorbs 4875 J and its temperature rises by 25 °C. What is the specific heat capacity of copper, in J/kg °C?

    AnswerJ/kg°C

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Answer key: Specific heat capacity and latent heat

  1. 1. 4520000 J

  2. 2. 126000 J

  3. 3. 880 J/kg°C

  4. 4. 226000 J

  5. 5. 21000 J

  6. 6. 390 J/kg°C