Guided Discovery: Law of Specific Heats

Students at the high school level are guided by instruction into discovering a scientific law. The process utilizes laboratory activities centered around the scientific method. Students investigate heat transfer in various metals using calorimetry. The activities include designing experiments, collecting data, using graphical analysis, and hypothesizing. This culminates in the discovery of the Law of Dulong and Petit. In all, approximately ten 50-minute class periods are used.