Demonstrating How Surface Area and Volume Affect Heat Loss in Animals

Demonstrating How Surface Area and Volume Affect Heat Loss in Animals

Planning

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Aim: To investigate how surface area and volume of an animal affects

the amount of heat lost.

Planning a simple procedure

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One standard test tube, one boiling test tube, and one centrifuge test

tube will be filled with water at 40°C. A thermometer will be placed

in each tube to measure the decrease in temperature of the water. This

will be timed for 300 seconds using a stopwatch. The temperature of

the water will be recorded every 30 seconds.

Preliminary Work

A prior experiment similar to the one outlined above, was carried out

to determine the sizes of the test tubes. The surface area and volume

for each tube used were

§ Standard Test tube Surface area = 2.69 cm2

Volume = 18 cm3

§ Boiling Test tube Surface area = 5.73 cm2

Volume = 44.66 cm3

§ Centrifuge Test tube Surface area = 2.26 cm2

Volume = 14.58 cm3

The surface areas to volume ratio are as follows:

§ Standard test tube 1:6.69

§ Boiling test tube 1:7.79

§ Centrifuge test tube 1:6.45

The experiment determined which tubes should be used, and the amount

of water to be used.

Equipment

Standard Test tube

Boiling test tube

Centrifuge test tube

Test tube rack

Stopwatch

Thermometers x 3

Measuring cylinder

Kettle containing water

Diagram

Method

1. 8.9 cm³ of water will be measured using a measuring cylinder.

2. The water will be heated to 40°C using a kettle.

3. When the water reaches 40°C it will be poured into a test tube.

4. A thermometer will be placed in the test tube to measure the amount

of heat lost.

5. A stopwatch will be used. The temperature of the water will be

recorded every 30 seconds, hence there will be 20 readings.

6.