Relaxation calorimeter design for Physics teaching

Abstract

We present the design of a relaxation calorimeter for specific heat measurements at room temperature directed to experimental physics teaching. We point out the characteristics of physical constitution and calorimeter operation and detail the computer programming involved. In the course of the experiment, monitoring the temperature and time of the specific heat measurements were made electronically in real time by a computer connected to an Arduino board. The data can be made available through tables and graphs through PLX-DAQ data acquisition tool and Excel spreadsheet. The results of the average specific heat obtained for iron, brass and lead samples, at room temperature, have small deviations in the order of about 3% when compared to literature values. The proposal uses low-cost and high-tech equipments aiming at innovation of teaching laboratories for science education or the development of experimental activities in instrumentation disciplines for teaching physics.

Keywords

• ensino de física
• calorímetro de relaxação
• arduino