Mohammed Salam Unit 2: LA B
Keeping up the standards
Calibration of the digital and spirit thermometer:
Two experiments have been carried out to determine which type of thermometer has the lowest
percentage error. Calibration defines the accuracy and measurements taken before the instruments
are used in the experiment to ensure that the equipment has the lowest percentage error. To carry
out this experiment you will require:
Apparatus:
1. Beaker
2. Digital Thermometer
3. Spirit Thermometer
4. Bunsen burner
5. Tripod
6. Gauze
7. Heat proof mat
8. Stopwatch
Experimental method:
1. Set up the tripod, Bunsen burner, gauze, heat proof mat
2. Fill the beaker with water halfway up in the beaker.
3. Operate the Bunsen burner.
4. Place the beaker on top of the gauze.
5. Stir around and set the stopwatch for 3 minutes.
6. Stop the stopwatch.
7. Place the spirit thermometer in the beaker and allow the thermometer to be in the centre of
the beaker. Ensure that the tip of the thermometer does not touch the bottom of the
beaker.
8. Record the temperature of the water.
9. Take a reading of the thermometer after about 30 seconds.
10. Take the reading of the thermometer and record your results.
11. Repeat this experiment with the digital thermometer.
12. Do this procedure repeatedly 2 more times so that you have three values for individual
thermometer.
Apparatus:
1. Beaker
2. Digital Thermometer
3. Spirit Thermometer
4. Ice Blocks
5. Stopwatch
, Mohammed Salam Unit 2: LA B
Experimental Method (Testing zero):
1. Fill up a large beaker with small amounts of tap water. Add crushed ice into the beaker.
2. Stir and set the stopwatch for 3 minutes.
3. Stop the stopwatch.
4. Place the spirit thermometer in the beaker ensure that the tip of the thermometer does not
touch the bottom of the beaker allow the thermometer to be in the centre of the beaker.
5. Record the temperature of water.
6. Take a reading of the thermometer after about 30 seconds.
7. Take the reading and record your results.
8. Repeat this experiment for digital thermometer.
9. Perform this experiment repeatedly 2 times so that you have three values for individual
thermometer.
These are the results based on the recordings of the temperature of the water:
Temperature ℃ increase:
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Mean
Digital 99.6 99.7 99.8 99.7
Spirit 95 96 97 96
Temperature ℃ decrease:
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Mean
Digital 1 0 0.1 0.36
Spirit 1 0 1 0.66
Cooling curves
Cooling curve for stearic acid:
Apparatus:
250ml beaker
Boiling tube with stearic acid
Stopwatch
Kettle containing water
Thermometer
Method:
Keeping up the standards
Calibration of the digital and spirit thermometer:
Two experiments have been carried out to determine which type of thermometer has the lowest
percentage error. Calibration defines the accuracy and measurements taken before the instruments
are used in the experiment to ensure that the equipment has the lowest percentage error. To carry
out this experiment you will require:
Apparatus:
1. Beaker
2. Digital Thermometer
3. Spirit Thermometer
4. Bunsen burner
5. Tripod
6. Gauze
7. Heat proof mat
8. Stopwatch
Experimental method:
1. Set up the tripod, Bunsen burner, gauze, heat proof mat
2. Fill the beaker with water halfway up in the beaker.
3. Operate the Bunsen burner.
4. Place the beaker on top of the gauze.
5. Stir around and set the stopwatch for 3 minutes.
6. Stop the stopwatch.
7. Place the spirit thermometer in the beaker and allow the thermometer to be in the centre of
the beaker. Ensure that the tip of the thermometer does not touch the bottom of the
beaker.
8. Record the temperature of the water.
9. Take a reading of the thermometer after about 30 seconds.
10. Take the reading of the thermometer and record your results.
11. Repeat this experiment with the digital thermometer.
12. Do this procedure repeatedly 2 more times so that you have three values for individual
thermometer.
Apparatus:
1. Beaker
2. Digital Thermometer
3. Spirit Thermometer
4. Ice Blocks
5. Stopwatch
, Mohammed Salam Unit 2: LA B
Experimental Method (Testing zero):
1. Fill up a large beaker with small amounts of tap water. Add crushed ice into the beaker.
2. Stir and set the stopwatch for 3 minutes.
3. Stop the stopwatch.
4. Place the spirit thermometer in the beaker ensure that the tip of the thermometer does not
touch the bottom of the beaker allow the thermometer to be in the centre of the beaker.
5. Record the temperature of water.
6. Take a reading of the thermometer after about 30 seconds.
7. Take the reading and record your results.
8. Repeat this experiment for digital thermometer.
9. Perform this experiment repeatedly 2 times so that you have three values for individual
thermometer.
These are the results based on the recordings of the temperature of the water:
Temperature ℃ increase:
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Mean
Digital 99.6 99.7 99.8 99.7
Spirit 95 96 97 96
Temperature ℃ decrease:
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Mean
Digital 1 0 0.1 0.36
Spirit 1 0 1 0.66
Cooling curves
Cooling curve for stearic acid:
Apparatus:
250ml beaker
Boiling tube with stearic acid
Stopwatch
Kettle containing water
Thermometer
Method:
