ENERGY TRANSFER BY CONDUCTION

(Hot Cup/Cold Cup Lab)

BACKGROUND: Energy in the form of heat, electricity, motion, or sound can change forms and
move from one system to another. This can be demonstrated by making a cup of tea. For example,
electricity, one form of energy, changes form to thermal energy (heat) through the stove and is
transferred by conduction to the water for tea. The tea warms the cup, which warms the hands of
the person holding it. This is energy transfer.

OBJECTIVE: To observe and analyze the flow of energy from a heat source to a heat sink through
the conduction process.

PROCEDURE:

1. At each lab table there is a set up involving two Styrofoam cups connected by a metal bar as
shown below. Follow these steps to complete the lab.
2. Without doing a thing, READ the procedure and answer the pre-lab questions.
3. Create the data table that looks like the data table on the opposite side of this page.
4. Fill the H cup half full with hot water and the C cup half full with cold water.
5. Tightly secure the lid before you return to your table.
6. Assemble the equipment as illustrated in the diagram.
7. Wait until the temperature in the hot cup has stopped rising and the cold cup has stopped
dropping.
8. When this happens immediately record the temperature for both cups at time 0.
9. Start the timer and record the temperature for both cups every minute for 20 minutes.
10. Graph your data. Plot both curves on the same set of axes. Place time on the horizontal (x) axis
and temperature on the vertical (y) axis. (Graphing while you wait for the next minute to pass
will help you finish this lab on time.)
 DATA TABLE
Time Hot Cup Cold Cup
(min.) Temp (C) Temp (C)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
 1. In the diagram, draw an
arrow on the metal bar
showing the direction of
heat flow.

2. Complete the table to the

right. Use the following
calcuations:
Heat Change = end temp start temp

Rate of Heat Change =

Total Heat Change
Time it took to change

3. Which container
decreased in
temperature? What was
the rate of decrease?

4. Which container
increased in
temperature? What was
the rate of increase?

5. If the experiment were

left standing for 24 hours,
what prediction could you
make about the
temperatures of the
cups?
 ENERGY TRANSFER BY CONDUCTION
(Hot Cup/Cold Cup Lab)
PRE-LAB QUESTIONS:
A. What will happen to the temperature of the hot cup during the 20 minutes of

C. What is the dependent variable in this lab? (Which one did we not know going
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the experiment?

A. What will happen to the temperature of the hot cup during the 20 minutes of

B. What is the independent variable in this lab? (Which one did we decide to
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into the lab? Which variable changed because of the other variable?)
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change? Which variable caused a change in the other variable?)

B. What is the independent variable in this lab? (Which one did we decide to

ENERGY TRANSFER BY CONDUCTION

change? Which variable caused a change in the other variable?)
___________________________________________________________________
C. What is the dependent variable in this lab? (Which one did we not know going

(Hot Cup/Cold Cup Lab)

into the lab? Which variable changed because of the other variable?)
___________________________________________________________________
ENERGY TRANSFER BY CONDUCTION
(Hot Cup/Cold Cup Lab)
PRE-LAB QUESTIONS:
A. What will happen to the temperature of the hot cup during the 20 minutes of
the experiment?
___________________________________________________________________

PRE-LAB QUESTIONS:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
B. What is the independent variable in this lab? (Which one did we decide to

the experiment?
change? Which variable caused a change in the other variable?)
___________________________________________________________________
C. What is the dependent variable in this lab? (Which one did we not know going
into the lab? Which variable changed because of the other variable?)
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