We're Back!

After a nice, long, relaxing break, we are back with our noses to the grindstone.

C, E and F Blocks began their discussion of temperature which, for most everyone, was a nice review to kick off the week. We defined temperature as the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance and examined how translational, rotational and vibrational kinetic energies all played in a role in an object's temperature. We then turned to how temperature can change through a gain or loss of energy and how the concept of thermal equilibrium fit into this construct. With the example of how a thermometer can assess an object's temperature, we segued into the idea of thermal expansion/contraction and how it made old-timey thermometers work and was still a critical topic for engineers. We ended with an overview of the temperature scales and the promise that tomorrow will center around the idea of heat.

B Block went over their fluid mechanics exams (as did E Block), then moved into two investigations to introduce the ideas of heat, temperature, thermal equilibrium and phase change. Mixing Warm and Cold water showed the heating and cooling curves for equal masses of water combined and how they reached an equilibrium temperature intermediate between the two extremes. The heat gained and lost was calculated (Q = mcΔT) and compared to demonstrate conservation of energy. Well, as well as it could be conserved in an open calorimeter. The Latent Heat of Fusion investigation looked at the amount of heat energy needed to take water through the solid-liquid phase change. We'll hit all of these topics in detail in this chapter, but your work with in chemistry should have you with a leg up on the material. Tomorrow, temperature, thermal equilibrium and thermal expansion...