Science Energyusually ages 12–13

Heating experiments and Q = mcΔT

Plan and carry out experiments to measure energy transferred during heating, including using the equation Q = mcΔT, recording temperature changes over time, and evaluating sources of error

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Uses a thermometer and stopwatch to record temperature change over time in a heating experiment
Applies Q = mcΔT to calculate the energy transferred to a substance being heated
Identifies sources of energy loss in a heating experiment (e.g. heat to surroundings) and suggests improvements
Plots a temperature-time graph and identifies the energy transfer rate from its gradient

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Try this together

If your child heated 100 ml of water in a beaker and recorded the temperature every minute, could they plot the results on a graph and use the data to work out roughly how much energy was transferred to the water?

Where this sits on the map

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Builds on

Efficiency, Sankey diagrams, and work doneages 12–13The heating experiment applies the Q = mcΔT equation and efficiency concepts — those calculations must be understood before doing the practical

Heating experiments and Q = mcΔTthis skill · ages 12–13

Unlocks

Nothing on the map depends on this yet.

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

This skill sits beyond Year 6 in the Australian Curriculum, so no F–6 code is matched. It also sits beyond the NSW K–6 syllabuses. It also sits beyond Level 6 in the Victorian Curriculum.

Nearby on the map

Conduction, convection, and radiationages 12–13 Efficiency, Sankey diagrams, and work doneages 12–13 Ohm's Law: voltage, current, resistanceages 12–13 Power: watts and energy per secondages 12–13

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