Insulating Innovation
Insulating Innovation
You need:
- Half-full cup of sand
- Very warm water
- Small resealable plastic bag
- Large resealable plastic bag
- Newspaper
- Aluminum foil
- Face or dish towels
- Thermometer
1. Add the warm water to the cup untiil the water just covers the
sand.
2. Use the thermometer to take the temperature of the sand.
3. Carefully place the cup inside the small resealable bag and
seal the bag.
4. Choose a material that you think will keep the sand warm
(newspaper, aluminum foil, or towel).
5. Wrap the small bag with the material and carefully put the
whole bundle in the large resealable bag. Seal the bag.
6. Wait 15 minutes and take the temperature of the sand again.
7. Repeat the experiment with each of the other two materials.
8. Which material keeps the sand the warmest?
Explanation:
You've created insulation! Heat is in constant motion. It flows from
warmer areas to colder areas until it is equally distributed. Insulation
provides a barrier to keep the heat from escaping. Two types of
insulation are commonly used. The cloth towels and newspapers
provide bulk insulation. Bulk insulation works by trapping pockets of
still air. These air pockets provide a barrier against the heat flow.
The aluminum foil provides reflective insulation. Reflective insulation
works by reflecting heat away from its highly reflective surface and
back to it's source.
You need:
- Half-full cup of sand
- Very warm water
- Small resealable plastic bag
- Large resealable plastic bag
- Newspaper
- Aluminum foil
- Face or dish towels
- Thermometer
1. Add the warm water to the cup untiil the water just covers the
sand.
2. Use the thermometer to take the temperature of the sand.
3. Carefully place the cup inside the small resealable bag and
seal the bag.
4. Choose a material that you think will keep the sand warm
(newspaper, aluminum foil, or towel).
5. Wrap the small bag with the material and carefully put the
whole bundle in the large resealable bag. Seal the bag.
6. Wait 15 minutes and take the temperature of the sand again.
7. Repeat the experiment with each of the other two materials.
8. Which material keeps the sand the warmest?
Explanation:
You've created insulation! Heat is in constant motion. It flows from
warmer areas to colder areas until it is equally distributed. Insulation
provides a barrier to keep the heat from escaping. Two types of
insulation are commonly used. The cloth towels and newspapers
provide bulk insulation. Bulk insulation works by trapping pockets of
still air. These air pockets provide a barrier against the heat flow.
The aluminum foil provides reflective insulation. Reflective insulation
works by reflecting heat away from its highly reflective surface and
back to it's source.
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