Name: Class: Index No.

In this experiment, you will investigate the power from a candle flame.

You have been provided with

● a beaker,
● a thermometer held in a clamp,
● a supply of water at room temperature,
● a measuring cylinder,
● a candle,
● a lighter,
● a glass rod,
● a stopwatch,
● a stand with two clamps and two bosses.

The thermometer must stay in the clamp throughout the experiment.

(a) (i) Hold the beaker in the clamp of the stand. Hold the thermometer in
the other clamp so that it is vertical and does not touch the sides or
base of the beaker. Pour sufficient water into the beaker to just cover
the bulb of the thermometer.

(ii) Remove the thermometer from the beaker. Measure and record the
volume V of the water in the beaker using the measuring cylinder.
Pour the water back into the beaker.

V = ………………………………

(iii) A volume of 1.0 cm3 of water has a mass of 1.0 g. Write down the
mass m of water in the beaker.

m = ………………………………
[1]

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(b) (i) Light the candle.

(ii) Set up the apparatus as shown in Fig. 2.1 with the candle away from
the beaker. The base of the beaker should be level with the top of the
candle flame.

Fig. 2.1

(iii) Record the temperature θR of the water in the beaker.

θR = ………………………….. [1]

(c) Carefully place the lit candle under the beaker and start the stopwatch.
After a time t = 120 s, carefully move the candle from beneath the beaker
and record the highest temperature θH reached by the water. Extinguish the
candle.

θH = ………………………….. [2]

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(d) Calculate the power P used to heat the water using the equation

mc (θ H −θ R )
P=
t

where the specific heat capacity c of water is 4.2 J / (g ºC)

P = …………………………[2]

(e) (i) State two reasons why P is not equal to the power of the candle flame.

1
…………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………

2 ……………………………………………………….……………………

…………………………………………………………………………………
[2]

(ii) State and explain two improvements that you could make to the
experiment to make sure the value of P is closer to the power of the
candle flame.

1
…………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………

2 ……………………………………………………….……………………

…………………………………………………………………………………
[2]

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