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It's Not the Heat, It's Thermochemistry Kit


Product Highlights

  • Investigate the thermodynamics of physical and chemical changes that absorb and release heat energy.



In stock and available to ship.

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?”

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

Digital Resources

Performance Expectations

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.

  • This item is only available from Carolina Biological Supply Company.

Product Families Featuring This Item:

Components Qty Included?
Ammonium Chloride, 100 g 1 Included
Calcium Chloride, Anhydrous, 100 g 1 Included
Foam Cups 25 Included
Safety Matches, Pack 10 Included
Candles 10 Included
Teacher’s Manual with Reproducible Student Guide 1 Included
Thermometers 10 Needed, Not Included
Aluminum Soda Cans, 12 oz, Empty (with pull tab attached) 10 Needed, Not Included
Graduated Cylinder, 100 mL 10 Needed, Not Included
Beakers, 400 mL 10 Needed, Not Included
Beakers, 500 mL 2 Needed, Not Included
Index Cards, 3 x 5” 10 Needed, Not Included
Stir Rods 10 Needed, Not Included
Ring Stands with Rings 10 Needed, Not Included
Balance 1 Needed, Not Included
Weighing Paper or Weigh Boats Needed, Not Included
Scoopula 4 Needed, Not Included
Ice Water Bath Needed, Not Included
Aluminum Soda Cans, 12 oz, Empty (with pull tab attached) Needed, Not Included
Tap Water Needed, Not Included
Ice Needed, Not Included