Heat transfer activity.
This week I had my daughter help me with the experiment. She helped me choose what materials to use. We chose foil, cotton cloth, plastic wrap and a coffee filter. After 30 minutes the water in the cup with the foil over it was a little warmer than the rest but only by 1 degree. There wasn't a stand out of the materials. There was just a few degrees difference between all the materials. I was expect ing there to be more.
I could see where this would help students in their study of heat transfer, conduction and convection but it would not be a very exciting demonstration. So if I could relate it to food that they eat the they would be more involved and could learn through a hands on activity. I could divide the class into groups. Each group would be given a food to work with. For example: pizza, biscuit, baked potato and a hamburger. They would have to design a container that would help keep the food hot. We could test these out. I picked all of these foods because I would have access to them from the cafeteria.
Hi Shannon, I had similar miniscule results. Nothing seemed significantly superior in insulating. I think it is interesting that we came up with similar ways to make this activity more "real world". My thought was to have them design a better insulation cup for dunkin donuts coffee.
ReplyDeleteI drink A LOT of coffee.
Lori
Shannon,
ReplyDeleteI agree that it wasn't very exciting, and the degree different I experienced was similar, but in some ways notable.
Incorporating an engineering piece is a good idea (creating a container to keep the foods warm). Would you be comparing the heat of one food to another or to itself? As we know, the baked potato retains its heat for a long time, while pizza cools quickly.
Janie
I had similar results. I too was surprised by how close the results were. I even used some thermal materials, thinking that they would keep the water the hottest--only by 1 degree. Proves that air is the better insulator.
ReplyDeleteUsing food would be a good way to use this experiment at school. A nonliquid would makeit possible to get rid ofthe air.
I think it is great taht you got your daughter involved. WHat great memory-building time together, adn you both learned something.