Pass the Baggies...
My Hands Are Cold!
(Adapted from Vernier LabQuest #3, Elementary Science with Venier)
skaneatelessuites.com
today’s mission if you
accept it...
!
All living things create their own body heat. We do this by eating food
and then convert the food into other forms of energy. One of the energies
created includes heat. Our bodies are also affected by the temperature of
our surroundings. One form of heat transfer is called conduction. In this
process, heat travels from a warmer area to a cooler area. Sometimes we
are the warm area...sometimes we are the colder area.
!
These temperature differences are the reason we wear the clothes
we do. In the summer, we wear lighter, cooler clothes. During the cold
winter, we wear layers of much warmer clothes.
!
The warm clothes we wear in the winter act as insulators. They
keep our bodies insulated from the cold.
Materials Needed: LabQuest, 2 Temperature Probes for each group, 2
zipper closure baggies, ice, 1 gallon zipper closure baggie, 2 of the
following materials used for insulation: felt, cotton balls, newspaper, tissue
paper, packing peanuts, sawdust, marbles, construction paper, and
shredded paper
Which two insulators did you pick?
ParrishMary
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 7:07:10 AM ET
_______________________
________________________
Which of these two do you believe will keep the probe the warmest?
_______________________________________________________
Why? __________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Write down the type of material in your baggies under the word “insulator”.
Insulator
Beginning Temp.
Ending Temp.
Change
Procedure:
1. Connect the Temperature Probe to the LabQuest in channel 1. Do not
touch the metal.
2. Choose New from the File menu.
3. On the Meter screen, tap Length. Change the data-collection length to
120 seconds and select OK.
4. Find the room temperature. Hold the probe by the plastic end. Hold the
metal end straight up into the air. Watch the temperature display until
reading in constant. You must start with the room temperature each time
you test a mitten.
5. Place your left hand inside the plastic baggie. Put the temperature
probe in the baggie so the tip is touching your palm. Watch the
temperature on the screen and keep the probe still until the temperature
is constant for 5 seconds.
6. When the temperature is constant, get a baggie of ice from your teacher
and have a classmate begin the data collection.
7. With your hand still in the small baggie and the probe still touching your
palm, lay the baggie palm down in the ice. Keep your hand still during
the testing.
ParrishMary
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 7:07:10 AM ET
8. When data collection ends, choose Statistics from the Analyze menu.
Find the minimum and maximum temperature of your data and record
these in your table.
9. Test the other bag. Make sure the probe is back at room temperature
before beginning and use your right hand this time.
Analyze Your Data
After completing the experiment, answer the following questions in your
journal. You and your partner may discuss these together.
1. What material really did keep your hand the warmest? Why do you
think this was? Was you prediction correct?
2. Which of the materials that you tested surprised you the most? Why?
ParrishMary
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 7:07:10 AM ET