Feel the Heat Capacity

• This short video by the Paleontological Research Institution explains the concept of heat capacity and then explains some implications of water's high heat capacity in the environment. 
• A simple experiment of heating up two different balloons, one filled with water and one filled with air, demonstrates water's high heat capacity. 

Positives

• A thorough verbal explanation and visual demonstration shows the high heat capacity of water, as compared to air. 
• The narrator describes all components of the demonstration, easily allowing a teacher to replicate this same set-up in their classroom. 

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should be familiar with terms like energy, temperature, and heat. 

Differentiation

• Before watching the video, consider having students record their predictions about how air and water heat up and store energy.
• To dive deeper into the implications of water's high heat capacity, consider visiting this lesson: Thermal Expansion of Water.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.