Heat Changes Associated with Physical Changes; Heating Curves

Heating CurveGraphing IconProducing a heating curve for water is fairly simple. You could place a large sample of ice in a beaker and heat it using a hotplate while recording the temperature every minute. However, in this activity the data has already been collected for you. In this assignment, you will graph and analyze an actual heating curve for water. Then, using the data from the heating curve, answer the analysis questions.

This activity with the heating curve data is available in a printable version.

Graph the Heating Curve of Water

Procedure

Use the data from the following table to produce a heating curve for water. Make sure your graph contains a title and labeled axes. Also, label the sections of the graph that represents water as solid, liquid, and gas.

Heating Curve of Water
Time (minutes)
Temperature (°C)
Time (minutes)
Temperature (°C)
0 -10 21 100
1 -5 22 100
2 0 23 100
3 0 24 100
4 0 25 100
5 0 26 100
6 0 27 100
7 0 28 100
8 0 29 100
9 0 30 100
10 0 31 100
11 8.3 32 100
12 18 33 100
13 28.5 34 100
14 37 35 100
15 48.7 36 100
16 57 37 110
17 68.8 38 120
18 80 39 130
19 89 40 140
20 100    

Analysis Questions

Once you have completed your graph, answer the following questions:

  1. What is the melting temperature of water?
  2. What is the boiling temperature of water?
  3. What happens to the temperature of the water during a phase change?
  4. Is the ice absorbing heat or releasing heat in order to boil?
  5. How much time does the boiling phase take?
  6. How much time does the melting phase take?
  7. How much time does it take to heat the liquid water to the boiling temperature?
  8. As what time does the liquid phase first appear?
  9. At what phase does the gas phase first appear?
  10. Describe what changes you would expect in this heating curve if the ice was allowed to melt on its own.

Options for creating and submitting your graph include:

  • Hand-draw the graph using graph paper and then take a picture of it for submission to the assignment's dropbox.
  • Hand-draw the graph using graph paper and then scan it for submission to the assignment's dropbox.
  • Utilize a spreadsheet or graphing program to create the graph for submission to the assignment’s dropbox.

Assignment Icon
Once you have completed your graph and responses, submit your assignment to the dropbox.