Mechanical Equivalent of Heat

From UO Physics Demonstration Catalog

Return to Heat and the First Law

Mechanical equiv of Heat.gif

Description:

A copper calorimeter is attached to a crank. A rope is wrapped around the calorimeter and attached to a 1 kg. mass. When the crank is turned the mass is raised a few centimeters off the floor and held there by the frictional force between the rope and calorimeter. The mechanical equivalent of heat can be calculated by determining the frictional work done by the calorimeter and comparing it to the heat energy which raised the temperature of the calorimeter.

Location:

  • Shelf F-2