Which experimental setup would let a student investigate the connection between kinetic energy and temperature
One possible experimental setup to investigate the connection between kinetic energy and temperature is as follows:
1. Gather a set of identical metal spheres or marbles.
2. Set up a three-layered system to represent different temperatures: a layer of ice (0°C), a layer of room temperature water (around 20°C), and a layer of hot water (around 60°C).
3. Place each metal sphere in the ice layer for a fixed amount of time (e.g., 1 minute) and measure the change in temperature of the sphere.
4. Repeat step 3 for the room temperature water layer and the hot water layer.
5. Calculate the change in kinetic energy of each sphere using the formula KE = (1/2)mv^2, where KE is the kinetic energy, m is the mass of the sphere, and v is the velocity of the sphere at the end of the experiment. The velocity can be calculated using the change in temperature (ΔT) and the specific heat capacity of the metal sphere material.
6. Plot a graph with kinetic energy on the y-axis and temperature on the x-axis. The graph should show how kinetic energy increases with temperature.
7. Analyze the data and draw conclusions about the relationship between kinetic energy and temperature.
Note: It is important to handle hot liquids with caution and follow safety guidelines when conducting experiments involving temperature changes.