New
New
Heating and cooling curves
I can explain the shape of a heating/cooling curve by describing the energy changes through the heating/cooling of a substance.
Lesson 6 of 7
New
New
- Year 10
- Edexcel
Heating and cooling curves
I can explain the shape of a heating/cooling curve by describing the energy changes through the heating/cooling of a substance.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- An experiment can be planned to measure the temperature change through continuous heating of a substance
- Energy is needed to overcome forces of attraction between particles so temperature does not change when changing state
- The change in state of pure substances can be seen on a heating/cooling curve as a horizontal line
- There is a change of energy, arrangement, and organisation of particles of a pure substance at each stage
Keywords
Heating curve - shows temperature changes of a substance over time as it is heated.
Cooling curve - shows temperature changes of a substance over time as it is cooled.
Intermolecular forces - are forces between particles.
Common misconception
Pupils struggle to understand what is taking place at the horizontal parts of the graph.
Be concise with your language and ask pupils to use the same language. 'have enough energy to overcome the forces of attraction between particles', 'to slide past each other', 'to move past each other'.
Planning the experiment this lesson allows you to be ready for carrying it out in another lesson.
Teacher tip
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Sort the states of matter and the temperatures at which changes of state occur into the correct order, starting with a substance in the solid state.
Sort the states of matter and the temperatures at which changes of state occur into the correct order, starting with a substance in the solid state.
Q2.Freezing and condensing are exothermic processes. Melting, evaporation and boiling are processes.
Freezing and condensing are exothermic processes. Melting, evaporation and boiling are processes.
Q3.A block of pure ice is heated in a beaker until it has all melted. Which of the following statements are correct?
A block of pure ice is heated in a beaker until it has all melted. Which of the following statements are correct?
All the ice will melt at the same time.
The particles in water are different to the particles in ice.
Q4.Match the following keywords to their definition.
Match the following keywords to their definition.
Q5.Which of the following statements describe what happens when a pure substance boils and changes from the liquid state to the gas state?
Which of the following statements describe what happens when a pure substance boils and changes from the liquid state to the gas state?
the change of state can happen over a range of temperatures
the temperature gradually decreases
the temperature gradually increases
Q6.Which of the following statements describes what happens when a pure substance freezes and changes from the liquid state to the solid state?
Which of the following statements describes what happens when a pure substance freezes and changes from the liquid state to the solid state?
the temperature gradually decreases
the temperature gradually increases
the change of state can happen over a range of temperatures
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Consider a heating curve (see image). The following statements are about some of the sections (e.g. ‘CD’ means the sloping part from C to D). Which of the statements are correct?
Consider a heating curve (see image). The following statements are about some of the sections (e.g. ‘CD’ means the sloping part from C to D). Which of the statements are correct?
BC: temperature does not change but particles spread apart from each other
Q2.The image shows three cooling curves. What do the ringed sections represent, in order from left to right?
The image shows three cooling curves. What do the ringed sections represent, in order from left to right?
condensing point; liquid state; freezing point
condensing point; liquid state; solid state
gas state; liquid state; solid state
gas state; melting point; freezing point
Q3.Sort the following stages of a heating curve into the correct order, starting from a statement about the solid substance:
Sort the following stages of a heating curve into the correct order, starting from a statement about the solid substance:
Q4.In a heating curve experiment, the dependent variable is temperature, and the independent variable is .
In a heating curve experiment, the dependent variable is temperature, and the independent variable is .
Q5.Which of the following pieces of equipment would you use to measure the dependent variable in the heating curve experiment?
Which of the following pieces of equipment would you use to measure the dependent variable in the heating curve experiment?
beaker
boiling tube
Bunsen burner
stopwatch
Q6.The image shows a curve for oxygen. This is a , although it starts at the melting point rather than with the substance in the solid state.
The image shows a curve for oxygen. This is a , although it starts at the melting point rather than with the substance in the solid state.
