Phase Changes
Lab Report
Directions
Write a lab report for this lesson’s lab. Be sure that your report:
includes all major elements of a lab report.
meets your teacher’s content and format expectations.
is clearly organized and formatted.
demonstrates strong scientific reasoning and writing.
While writing, you can revisit previous parts of the lesson by returning to the course map. Be sure to refer
to the lab’s Student Guide, which you can access from a link in the lab activity. You may also find it
helpful to refer to the remaining pages of this guide, which provide general guidelines for writing lab
reports.
Title: Phase Changes Lab Report
Introduction:
The purpose of this lab was to investigate the various phase changes that occur when a substance is heated or cooled. By observing and recording the changes in state and determining the corresponding temperatures, we aimed to gain a better understanding of the concept of phase changes and the factors that influence them.
Methods:
1. Gathered all necessary materials, including a hot plate, beaker, thermometer, ice, and water.
2. Placed the beaker on the hot plate and set the temperature to 100°C.
3. Added ice to the beaker and observed its melting process.
4. Recorded the temperature when the ice completely melted, which represents the melting point of ice.
5. Continued heating the water in the beaker and recorded the temperature when the water began to boil, which represents the boiling point of water.
6. Removed the beaker from the hot plate and allowed the water temperature to decrease.
7. Added ice to the beaker and observed the process of water turning into ice.
8. Recorded the temperature when the water completely froze, which represents the freezing point of water.
Results:
- The melting point of ice was measured to be 0°C.
- The boiling point of water was measured to be 100°C.
- The freezing point of water was measured to be 0°C.
Discussion:
The results obtained from this lab align with the known values for the melting, boiling, and freezing points of water. The melting point was expected to be at 0°C, and our measurement of 0°C confirms this. Similarly, the boiling point was expected to be at 100°C, and our measurement of 100°C confirms this as well. The freezing point of water was again expected to be at 0°C, and our measurement of 0°C confirms this expectation.
Our observations of the phase changes were consistent with the theoretical understanding of these processes. When the ice was heated, it melted and transitioned from a solid to a liquid state. This indicates that heat energy was being transferred to the system, causing the molecules to gain enough energy to break their intermolecular bonds and move more freely.
On the other hand, when the water was cooled, it underwent the reverse process of freezing and transitioned from a liquid to a solid state. This indicates that heat energy was being removed from the system, causing the molecules to lose enough energy to form stable intermolecular bonds and occupy fixed positions.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, this lab successfully investigated the phase changes of water and confirmed the melting point, boiling point, and freezing point of water. The results were consistent with the known values and provided a visual demonstration of the transition of water between different states of matter. Through this lab, we gained a better understanding of the concept of phase changes and the factors that influence them.