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Heat & Thermodynamics

More than 20 resources on heat and thermodynamics to arouse your students interest in this area of physical science. Review Flinn Scientific videos, resource materials and tips to find something that will sure to heat up your science lab.

Solar Oven STEM Challenge Activity

Capture solar energy in a useable way! Learn how solar ovens work and cook some yummy snacks with energy from the sun with this Flinn STEM Design Challenge.

Specific Heat Set—Student Laboratory Kit, AP9220

Specific Heat Set Student Laboratory Kit will allow you to teach valuable thermodynamics concepts, such as calorimetry, specific heat and heat capacity with this kit.

Small-Scale Calorimeters, AP5928

Small-Scale Calorimeters shows how you can perform more quantitative thermodynamic experiments in less time.

Heat Convection of a Gas

Heat Convection is a simply ingenious way to demonstrate the air currents created when hot air rises and cooler air sinks in this Flinn Physical Science Minute.

Simple Soda Can Steam Engine

Simple Soda Can Steam Engine is a Flinn Physical Science Minute that shows you how to build a simple steam engine from a soda can.

Spontaneous Assembly of Straws

Spontaneous Assembly of Straws illustrates that spontaneous has a special definition in chemistry using straws to observe and model it.

The Pluses and Minuses of Enthalpy, Entropy and Free Energy

The Pluses and Minuses of Enthalpy, Entropy and Free Energy is a series of simple chemical and physical examples for teaching how these concepts are related.

Superheated Steam

Superheated Steam demonstrates how paper burns and a match ignites when heated with steam due to steam's huge thermal energy content.

Heat of Vaporization of Water

Heat of Vaporization of Water is an introductory demonstration to heating curves.

Putt-Putt Steam Boat

Putt-Putt Steam Boat shows how an old-fashioned toy steamboat runs on steam by converting chemical and heat energy into mechanical energy.

The Oxidation of Acetone by Bleach

The Oxidation of Acetone by Bleach is a different take on the traditional calorimetry experiment.

The Great Peanut Problem

The Great Peanut Problem addresses how all human activity requires "burning" food for energy. The demonstrations shows how to measure the amount of energy released when food burns in this guided-inquiry approach to thermodynamics.

Boiling in a Balloon

Boiling in a Balloon dramatically demonstrates the tremendous heat capacity of plain, ordinary water.

Spontaneous Assembly of Straws

Spontaneous has a special definition in chemistry. Observe and model it using straws.

The Pluses and Minuses of Enthalpy, Entropy and Free Energy

Introduce students to the concept of spontaneous reactions using the same materials found in hand warmers!

Superheated Steam

Why is steam a greater skin-burning threat than boiling water? How much energy is contained in steam? This demonstration will dramatically show the energy content of superheated steam.

Heat of Vaporization of Water

A simple, quick, and easy demonstration in which students measure the amount of energy gained by one sample of water as another sample is vaporized. Students use this information to calculate the heat of vaporization of water with minimal error.

Putt-Putt Steam Boat

Light a small candle inside a toy boat and watch it coast around the water while making a “putt putt” noise. Use this old-fashioned toy to illustrate how chemical energy is converted into mechanical energy as phase changes occur.

Oxidation of Acetone by Bleach

The energy released during a chemical reaction may be determined by the use of a calorimeter. A calorimeter is a closed, insulated container in which the reaction may take place without exchanging heat with the surroundings.

Boiling in a Balloon

A perfect demonstration that dramatically shows the tremendous heat capacity of plain, ordinary water.

A Simple Soda Can Steam Engine

Phase changes are taught at just about every level of science education, K–college. Rarely, however, is it emphasized what an important role they have played historically in our technological development. The boiling of water, after all, was what first allowed us to take significant advantage of chemical energy, enabling us to convert the heat given off during an exothermic reaction into useful work. How wonderful then that one of the earliest and most fundamental steam engines can be replicated with an aluminum soda can!

Specific Heat

Three different metals of equal mass are heated to the same temperature in a boiling water bath. The metals are then added to three insulated foam cups, each containing the same amount of water initially at room temperature. The temperature of the water changes by different amounts for the three metals. Why?

Heat Convection Demonstration

Heat transfer by convection in fluids occurs continuously, but often goes unnoticed. Help students understand how convection currents form in both liquids and gases with these two hands-on demonstrations.

Land Versus Water

While at the beach on a hot summer day, have you ever observed the temperature difference between the dry sand and the body of water? You nearly burn the bottom of your feet trying to get to the water! Why is there such a huge temperature difference between land and water? Use this activity to get your students thinking about the concept of specific heat and why various substances have different specific heat values.

Soda Can Calorimeter

Have you ever noticed the nutrition label located on the packaging of the food you buy? One of the first things listed on the label are the calories per serving. How is the calorie content of food determined? This activity will introduce the concept of calorimetry and investigate the caloric content of snack foods.

Soap-Motor Boat

Move a boat with a drop of soap.

Flame-Retardant Balloon

Show students a “special” balloon that doesn’t pop when exposed to a flame. Students will come up with very clever ideas for why the balloon doesn’t pop. But, when all is said and done, the “magic” is the result of important scientific principles involving specific heat capacity and heat transfer.

Heat versus Temperature

Understanding the difference between heat and temperature is a fundamental scientific concept that is frequently overlooked and sometimes misunderstood.