Investigating Insulation

554 Words2 Pages

Investigating Insulation

Aim: To find out what type of insulation holds the most heat for a can

containing heated water.

PLAN

What factors will you be changing? The types of insulation

For what factor will you be recording readings? The temperaturelost

What equipment will you use to measure this factor? A thermometer

What factors will you keep constant to make it a fair test? Explain

how you will keep each of these factors constant.

I will be keeping the starting temperature the same. I could maintain

this by using a thermometer at the start of every experiment to keep

the temperature the same. I will also use the same volume of water.

This will be achieved by using a measuring cylinder to measure the

amount of water. I will also keep the intervals and the length of the

experiment the same. This will be achieved by using a stopwatch to

read the time.

Equipment

* Thermometer

* Bubble wrap

* Elastic band

* Cotton wool

* 4 cans

* goggles

* measuring cylinder

* stopwatch

* gloves

Prediction/ hypothesis (next page)

I think the can with the cotton wool with the lid will be the best

insulator for the can because the cotton fibers trap more air than the

bubble wrap. This is because air is a good insulator of heat, and

cotton wool traps more air than the bubble wrap, and therefore cotton

wool with the lid will be the best insulator. The lid will also trap

the heat transmitted by convection currents. The lid will trap these

convection currents, and therefore the heat will stay in. The ways

heat is lost are conduction and convection. Heat is lost through the

sides ...

... middle of paper ...

...lsius, so our new

starting temperature was 70 degrees Celsius.

Safety

I will wear safety goggles because of the boiling water. I will also

wear an overall, so I do not burn my body with the water. I will wear

gloves so I don't burn my hands with the boiling water.

Instructions for the experiment

1. Collect all of the equipment needed for the experiment

2. set up the apparatus

3. We will start on the no-insulation experiment

4. heat the water to 70 degrees Celsius

5. pour the water into the can and drop the thermometer in

6. remember the safety

7. take the readings of 1 minute intervals for 10 minutes

8. repeat the experiment 3 times

9. write down the results

10. Repeat the whole experiment for the bubble wrap, cotton wool, and

cotton wool with lid.

11. clear up safely

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