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Designing a Hand Warmer

By: The Flinn Staff

Designing a Hand Warmer Advanced Inquiry Lab Kit for AP* Chemistry
hand warmer, consumer application, consumer product, design
Designing a Hand Warmer Advanced Inquiry Lab Kit for AP* Chemistry
hand warmer, consumer application, consumer product, design

In the Designing a Hand Warmer Inquiry Lab Solution for AP® Chemistry, students investigate energy changes and calorimetry with formations of solutions. Students challenge themselves to design the best, all-around hand warmer.

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The energy changes accompanying physical and chemical transformations have many consumer applications. The backbone of these applications is calorimetry—measuring heat transfer.

Students investigate the energy changes accompanying the formations of solutions for common laboratory salts, and then apply the results to design a hand warmer that is reliable, safe, nontoxic and inexpensive. The students begin by familiarizing themselves with the principles of calorimetry and heat of solution calculations. The results provide a model for the guided-inquiry challenge. Students are given a series of solids, along with their costs and individual Safety Data Sheets (SDSs). The challenge is to determine the heat of solution for each solid and analyze the cost and safety information to propose a design for the best, all-around hand warmer.  

Complete for 24 students working in pairs.

2024 CED Alignment:  

Unit 6 - Thermochemistry  

Topic 6.6 - Introduction to Enthalpy of Reaction 

Description of the Lab 

In this open-ended design challenge, students test the enthalpy change of various salt dissolution reactions and recommend the best material for a safe and effective hand warmer. The lab combines thermodynamic calculations with experimental design, data analysis, and real-world problem solving. 

Learning Objective 

  • LO 6.6.A – Calculate the heat q absorbed or released by a system undergoing a chemical reaction in relationship to the amount of the reacting substance in moles and the molar enthalpy of reaction. 

Skills Students Will Learn 

  • 2.C – Identify experimental procedures that are aligned to a scientific question (which may include a sketch of a lab setup). 
    In this lab: Students design procedures to test and compare the enthalpy of multiple salts. 
  • 5.C – Explain the relationship between variables within an equation when one variable changes. 
    In this lab: Students apply q = m·c·ΔT and explore how changing concentration or mass affects heat output. 
  • 6.D – Provide reasoning to justify a claim using chemical principles or laws, or using mathematical justification. 
    In this lab: Students recommend a salt based on calculated enthalpy values and justify their choice with supporting evidence.