Heating Curve
A plot of temperature versus heat, showing the amount of heat energy a substance has absorbed with increasing temperature is called heating curve.
To draw heating curve of a substance, it is taken in a closed container in order to isolate it from its surroundings and then it is observed that how it changes as it is influenced by the heat.
When heated, the substance absorbs the energy and its temperature increases. When the temperature reaches to melting point(M.P.), it changes from solid state to liquid state. At this point temperature remains constant, which is represented by a plateau(AB). The heat absorbed during phase conversion S → L is called Latent Heat of fusion Lf .
After phase conversion S → L, when further heat is supplied, the temperature increases, and when it reaches to boiling point (B.P.) again a plateau(CD) is reached and the substance changes from liquid state to gaseous state. At boiling point, the temperature does not change due to Latent Heat of vaporization Lv .
From the above heating curve we note that :-
- Lv > Lf
- QB – QA = heat required for melting = mLf
- QD – QC = heat required of boiling or vaporization = mLv
- Order of slope :- α > β > γ ⇒ tanα > tanβ > tanγ
- Slope of heating curve,
- From point (5), specific heat(c) ∝ 1/(slope of heating curve), ⇒
- Heat capacity(H.C.) :- Again from point (5),