BICOL COLLEGE

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

DARAGA, ALBAY

Lesson Flow and Content

Heat and Temperature
Lesson: “Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics and Temperature Measurements”

LEARNING AREA General Physics 1

GRADE LEVEL Grade 12
QUARTER 1st

I. OBJECTIVES

A. CONTENT STANDARD
The learners demonstrate understanding concepts of heat, temperature, internal energy, thermal
equilibrium, and temperature scales in relation to the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics.

B. PERFORMANCE STANDARD
Explain the difference and relationship of heat, temperature, internal energy, thermal equilibrium, and
temperature scales and convert between temperature scales.

C. LEARNING COMPETENCIES
Explain the connection between the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics, temperature, thermal equilibrium,
and temperature scales. (STEM_GP12TH-IIG-49)

D. SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the learner are expected to:
1. Understand the concepts of heat, temperature, internal energy, thermal equilibrium, and
temperature scales in relation to the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics;
2. Convert between temperature scales; and
3. Relate the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics to real-life concerns and situations.

II. CONTENT

A. TOPIC: Heat and Temperature - Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics and Temperature Measurements
B. MATERIALS: Visual Aids, Laptop, Projector, Manila Paper, Markers, Materials for Experiment
Demonstration: Thermometer, Plastic Cups, Hot/Cold/Tap Water, Timer
C. SKILLS TO BE DEVELOPED: Describing, measuring, computing, and explaining
D. VALUES TO BE DEVELOPED: Understanding and appreciation
E. LEARNING RESOURCES: Bañares, B. J., et al. (2020). General Physics1-Grade 12 Alternative
Delivery Mode Self Learning Module Quarter 2 - Module 6: Temperature and Heat. Department of
Education – Division of Cagayan de Oro Schools.

III. PROCEDURES

PRELIMINARY ACTIVITY
Greetings, Prayer, Settle the Class

A. ELICIT
(Reviewing previous lesson before presenting the new lesson.)

1. Make sure that students have prerequisite knowledge on volume and density.
2. Make sure that students have the following skills: laboratory safety measures, use of thermometers,
and handling of glassware with liquids.
3. Ask how temperature is measured by a thermometer (recall what they may have learned from
lessons in previous grades):
(flash on screen picture of thermometer with fill in the blank sentences)
a. The liquid inside the thermometer [ expand or shrink: expands (rises) ] when the
temperature increases.
b. The thermometer has [the same/ or different: the same ] temperature as the object.

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 BICOL COLLEGE
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
DARAGA, ALBAY

B. ENGAGE
(Establishing the purpose for the lesson / presenting examples/instances of the new lesson.)

(Ask a student to give a number and from beside him/her will the counting start. The one where the
number stopped will be asked to answer the question. Then repeat the process until 3-6 questions have
passed.)

1. Ask students about their understanding of temperature and how it affects daily life (some examples
below): “WHAT COMES INTO YOUR MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD HEAT?”
a. Hot and cold food
b. Wearing appropriate clothes for the weather
c. Effect of temperature in weather, etc.

Question: Have you ever wondered why your hands feel warm when you hold a hot cup of tea
or cold when you touch ice? What do you think determines these sensations?
Guide Answer: Understanding how objects interact at different temperatures can
help explain why we feel heat or coldness. (heat transfer/conduction)

Follow-up Question: Imagine you have two containers of water, one with ice and the other with
hot water. What do you think will happen when they are left together for some time?
Guide Answer: Observing how temperature differences lead to changes in objects
can provide insights into the concept of thermal equilibrium.

2. Ask students, now “WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE RELATIONSHIP OF HEAT TO TEMPERATURE?”
Present the qualitative definition of temperature:
a. The hotness or coldness of an object as a measure of its temperature
b. The reliance of this measurement on the sense of touch
c. The unreliability of the senses to make measurements

Guide Question #1: Have you ever wondered why we use different scales to measure
temperature, like Celsius and Fahrenheit? How do you think these scales are related to our
understanding of heat and cold?
Guide Answer: Exploring the origins and differences of temperature scales can provide
insights into how we quantify temperature variations.
Follow-up Question: Can you imagine a world without a standardized way to measure
temperature? How do you think this would impact our daily lives and scientific advancements?
Guide Answer: Reflecting on the importance of standardized temperature
measurements can highlight the role of temperature scales in various fields.

Guide Question #2: Can you think of a time when you felt the need to adjust the temperature in
a room or a device? What factors do you think influence these adjustments?
Guide Answer: Considering how temperature affects our comfort and daily activities can
prompt curiosity about temperature measurements and control.
Follow-up Question: Have you ever considered how animals adapt to different temperatures in
their habitats? What mechanisms do you think they use to regulate their body heat?
Guide Answer: Exploring how living organisms interact with their environment in terms
of temperature can lead to discussions on thermal equilibrium and temperature control.

(Presentation of the new topic: Heat and Temperature - Lesson 1: Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics and
Temperature Measurements)
(Present the learning competency to “explain the connection between the Zeroth Law of
Thermodynamics, temperature, thermal equilibrium, and temperature scales,” and the objectives for the
lesson to 1.) Understand the concepts of heat, temperature, internal energy, thermal equilibrium, and
temperature scales in relation to the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics; 2.) Convert between temperature
scales; and 3.) Relate the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics to real-life concerns and situations.

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 BICOL COLLEGE
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
DARAGA, ALBAY

C. EXPLORE
(Learners will do the short laboratory activity and present their group output to the class.)

Instruction: Group students with 5 members each and instruct them to perform the following. Have
each group assign a leader, secretary, performers, and presenter/s. Each group is given 10 minutes to
perform the short laboratory activity, with a given activity cards each where instructions are provided.
Procedure 1: "Unveiling Thermal Equilibrium: Exploring Temperature Dynamics"
This activity aims to enhance students' comprehension of thermal equilibrium, temperature dynamics,
and temperature scale conversions through hands-on observation of temperature changes in various
water samples and a flat container.
Instructions:
1. Put the two plastic cups side by side. Label them as A and B. Put also a label as C to the flat
container.
2. Pour one-third cup of boiling water into the cup A and one-third cup as well of cold water into the
cup B. In cup c, add a tap water with a volume of half the height of its container.
3. Measure the temperature of cup A, cup B, and container C. Note: Be careful in holding the glass
thermometer.
4. Place cups A & B in the container C. Leave the cups for 10 minutes then measure again the
temperature of cups A & B as well as the container C.

While waiting for the timer to be finished, perform procedure #2.

Guide Questions for Procedure 1:

a. Compare the initial temperatures of water in cup A, cup B, and flat container C.
b. Describe the temperature differences in cup A, cup B, and flat container C after 10 minutes.
How does thermal equilibrium impact these changes?
c. Analyze the insights gained from the initial and 10-minute temperature readings regarding
heat transfer and thermal equilibrium.
d. Convert the temperatures of cup A, cup B, and flat container C into Fahrenheit and Kelvin
scales. How do these conversions illustrate the relationship between temperature scales?

Procedure 2: "Sensory Perception and Temperature Experiment"

This activity aims to explore how sensory perception influences our interpretation of temperature
changes and how the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics relates to our perception of hot and cold.
1. Put warm and cold water into 2 different cups, and another one for the tap water. Have a group
mate place one hand into the warm water and one hand in the cold water.
2. Wait about a minute and ask the student to close their eyes.
3. Have the student lift his hand out of the water and switch the cup of warm water for the cup
of tap water. (Make sure the student doesn’t open his eyes while you do this.) Ask them
if the water is hot or cold.
4. After he has answered, do the same thing for the cold water (switch with tap water) and ask the
same question.

Guide Questions for Procedure 2:

a. How does the sensation of temperature change when your hands are exposed to different
water temperatures?
b. Can you explain why your perception of temperature may differ when your hands are placed
in water at different temperatures?

D. EXPLAIN
(Clarification of concepts presented by each group and discussion about the short laboratory
experiment in relation to the topic.)

Procedure 1
Expected Right Answers and Corrections to Possible Misconceptions:
Heat transfer occurs bidirectionally until equilibrium is established. Initially, when two systems
at different temperatures come into contact, heat flows from the hotter system to the colder one. This
bidirectional heat transfer continues until both systems reach thermal equilibrium, where there is no
net heat transfer between them. At equilibrium, the heat transfer between the systems is balanced,
ensuring a stable distribution of thermal energy. This bidirectional heat exchange is essential for

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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
DARAGA, ALBAY

achieving a state of thermal equilibrium and maintaining a balanced temperature between the
systems.
1. Initial Temperatures: Cup A (boiling water) is hotter, cup B (cold water) is colder, and container
C (tap water) is at room temperature.
Possible Misconception: Assuming all water temperatures are the same initially.
2. After 10 Minutes: Cup A cools down, cup B warms slightly, and container C approaches an
average temperature due to heat exchange. When thermal equilibrium is achieved, all temperatures
stabilize as the system reaches a balanced state. This aligns with the Zeroth Law of
Thermodynamics, which states that objects in thermal equilibrium with a common third object are in
equilibrium with each other.
Possible Misconception: Expecting all temperatures to remain constant. Correction: In a
dynamic system like this, temperatures will adjust until thermal equilibrium is reached, leading to
stable temperatures.
3. Insights: Initial readings show temperature disparities; 10-minute readings demonstrate heat
transfer leading to thermal equilibrium. Understanding that heat flows from higher to lower
temperature regions until equilibrium is reached helps grasp the concept of thermal balance.
Possible Misconception: Believing that heat transfer only occurs in one direction. Correction:
Heat transfer occurs bidirectionally until equilibrium is established, allowing for a balanced
distribution of thermal energy.
4. Temperature Conversions: Converting temperatures into Fahrenheit and Kelvin reveals scale
relationships and how they represent thermal energy.
Possible Misconception: Incorrectly interpreting the conversions due to unfamiliarity with
temperature scales.

Procedure 2
Expected Right Answers and Corrections to Possible Misconceptions:
Observations and Explanations for Procedure 2:
1. The student may perceive the water as warmer when transitioning from cold to room temperature
water due to the sensation of relative warmth.
Possible Misconception: The water has physically changed temperature.
Correction: Emphasize that the water remains at a constant temperature throughout the
activity, highlighting the role of perception in temperature sensation.
Observation: When a student places one hand in warm water and the other in cold water, they may
initially feel the temperature difference between the two.
Explanation: This observation relates to the concept of temperature as a measure of the average
kinetic energy of particles in a substance. The student perceives the warm water as having a higher
temperature due to the faster movement of molecules, while the cold water is sensed as having a
lower temperature.

2. The perception of temperature can be influenced by the initial temperature exposure, leading to
differences in how we interpret the temperature of the water.
Misconception: Our hands can accurately gauge the exact temperature of the water.
Correction: Discuss how our perception of temperature can be influenced by various factors,
leading to subjective interpretations of temperature.
Observation: After switching the warm water for room temperature water without the student's
knowledge, they may struggle to accurately identify whether the water is hot or cold.
Explanation: This phenomenon highlights the sensory perception of temperature and how it can be
influenced by the initial exposure to different temperatures. The student's perception of the water's
temperature is relative to their previous experience with the warm and cold water.
Observation: The same process is repeated with the cold water hand, leading to a similar challenge
in determining the water's temperature accurately.
Explanation: This observation underscores the subjective nature of temperature perception and the
role of thermal equilibrium in balancing the temperatures experienced by the student's hands. It
demonstrates how the concept of thermal equilibrium affects our perception of temperature changes.

Note for Procedure 2: If the hand is placed in a particular temperature (hot or cold) long enough,
the nerve endings of the hand get used to the first temperature and “desensitizes” it. Putting the
hand in water that is just a few degrees cooler or warmer, it feels the opposite. So the hand placed in
warm water when placed in room temp water feels cold and the hand placed in the cold water when
placed in the room temp water feels hot. Alternatively, you can ask two different students to
experience the warm and cold water.
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
DARAGA, ALBAY

Concepts highlighted for the 2 procedures in the laboratory activity:

 Temperature Perception: The activity emphasizes how our sensory perception of temperature
can be influenced by previous exposure to different temperature stimuli.
 Thermal Equilibrium: By experiencing the sensation of warm and cold water simultaneously and
then transitioning to room temperature water, students can grasp the concept of thermal
equilibrium as temperatures balance out.
 Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics: The activity indirectly relates to the Zeroth Law by showcasing
how objects (in this case, the student's hands) reach thermal equilibrium with their surroundings,
leading to a balanced perception of temperature. Also, through the 3 containers with different
temperature that soon also had reach thermal equilibrium.
 Conversion between temperature scales:
 Discuss how to convert between Celsius and Fahrenheit scales:
i. Note the freezing point (0°C and 32°) and the boiling point (100°C and 212°F) of water in
the scale
ii. Note also the difference in the number of degrees between the temperature points (0 -
100 or 100 for Celsius and 32 - 212 or 180 for Fahrenheit)
iii. Thus the proportion will be TC : TF = 100 : 180 or TC : TF = 5 : 9. Proportionally, these
scales then:
[(T C /TF)=(5/9)]. Considering that the Celsius scale is started at 0 and the Fahrenheit
scale at 32, then we can write a conversion between scales as:[(T C /TF)=(5/9)].
 Discuss how to convert between Celsius and Kelvin scales:
i. Same number of degrees/calibrations for both scales but freezing point in the Kelvin scale is
273.15 K (note that (Kelvin does not use “degree”)
ii. Thus, TK = TC + 273.15.

***

Additional Notes:

-for other 3 Laws of Thermodynamics:

 0th= if 2 systems are each in thermal equilibrium with a 3rd system, then they are in thermal
equilibrium with each other.
 1st= energy can be converted from one form to another but cannot be created nor destroyed
 2nd= entropy of an isolated system will always increase over time.
 3rd= as temperature approaches absolute zero, the entropy of a system approaches a
constant minimum.

-Rankine is a thermodynamic temperature scale named after the Scottish engineer and physicist
William John Macquorn Rankine, proposed in 1859. It is an absolute scale similar to the Kelvin
scale, where zero Rankine is absolute zero, and a temperature difference of one Rankine degree is
equal to one Fahrenheit degree. Despite its utility in engineering systems where heat computations
are done using degrees Fahrenheit, the Rankine scale is not widely used in scientific contexts where
measurements are made in SI units like Kelvin. The preference for Kelvin in scientific applications is
due to the simplicity and consistency of the SI unit system, making it more convenient for
international standardization and scientific calculations.

- Absolute temperature would be based on absolute Zero (-273.15C or -459.67F). This is also known
as the Kelvin scale (K). Fahrenheit and Celsius scales are considered relative because they are
based on the temperature of water. 0C is the freezing point of water which equals 32F.
- heat, temperature, internal energy, thermal equilibrium, and temperature scales:
* helps define temperature and establish thermal equilibrium between systems based on their
internal energy states
* the relationship between internal energy and temperature is direct and proportional. As
temperature increases, the internal energy of a system also increases, reflecting the average kinetic
energy of the system's particles. This relationship is fundamental in understanding how changes in
temperature affect the internal energy of a system, with higher temperatures corresponding to higher
internal energies and vice versa.

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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
DARAGA, ALBAY

-Zeroth law: crucial for ensuring proper functioning and efficiency. This law, which establishes
thermal equilibrium and the concept of temperature, plays a significant role in computer systems by
regulating heat dissipation and maintaining stable operating temperatures. In computers,
components generate heat during operation, and the Zeroth Law helps in designing cooling systems
to prevent overheating and maintain optimal performance. By applying the principles of thermal
equilibrium and temperature measurement derived from the Zeroth Law, computer engineers can
develop efficient cooling solutions, thermal management strategies, and ensure the reliability of
electronic devices.
-Air conditioners use the principles of the zeroth law to maintain thermal equilibrium by removing
heat from a room when the temperature exceeds a set point, ensuring a comfortable indoor
environment
-Food cooking/preservation, as thermal equilibrium is reached, there is no net flow of thermal energy
between them, leading to uniform cooking or baking results.
-homeostasis, ensures that different parts of the body reach thermal equilibrium, maintaining a
stable internal temperature necessary for bodily functions and health

***

E. ELABORATE
(Finding practical application of concepts and skills in daily living. Making generalizations and
abstractions about the lesson.)

Wrap up everything discussed by presenting and asking students to find practical applications of Zeroth
Law of Thermodynamics and Temperature Scales in daily living. (also, through answering fill in the
blanks questions in the powerpoint.)

F. EVALUATE
Evaluate learners learning through a short quiz (10-item quiz).

TRUE OR FALSE:
1. The Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics states that if two bodies are in thermal equilibrium with a
third body, they are in equilibrium with each other. (True: This statement accurately reflects
the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics, which establishes the concept of thermal equilibrium.)
2. Absolute temperature scales have arbitrary zero points. (False: Absolute temperature scales
like Kelvin have fixed zero points based on fundamental thermodynamic principles.)
3. Internal energy represents the total energy of a system's molecules due to their motion and
positions. (True: Internal energy encompasses both kinetic and potential energy of molecules
within a system.)
Convert the following. (2 points each)
4-5. Convert 25°C to Fahrenheit. [Answer: 77°F, formula: °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32.]
6-7. Convert 300 K to Celsius. [Answer: 26.85°C, subtract 273.15 from the given temperature in
Kelvin.]
Essay. Give a real-life example of the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics and explain briefly how its
concept is applied. (2 points.)

G. EXTEND
For enrichment, instruct the learners to Read and write at least 3 sentence insights about
various kinds of thermometers and how they function (with special attention to thermal properties).

Prepared by:
Jhon B. De Los Reyes
Science Teacher
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