Method
Read these instructions carefully before you start work.
1. Use the kettle to boil water, Carefully Fill the tin can with the boiled water up to the top.
2. Use a piece of cardboard as a lid for the can. The cardboard must have a hole for the
thermometer.
3. Insert the thermometer through the hole in the cardboard lid so that its bulb is in the hot
water.
4. Record the maximum temperature of the water and start the stopwatch. (it may take a
few seconds for the thermometer to show the max temperature of the water) This is your
temperature at 0 minutes.
5. Record the temperature of the water every 5 minutes for 20 minutes.
Repeat steps 1‒6 using the different amounts of insulation each time.
6.
Table of Results - Your groups data
Temperature of water (oC)
Number of layers
of insulation
0 minutes
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
Table of Results – Class average data
Temperature of water (oC)
Number of layers
of insulation
0 minutes
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
0
1
2
3
4
5
7. Using the class average dataset, plot cooling curve graphs for each of the insulated tin
cans with:
•
‘Temperature in °C’ on the y-axis
•
‘Time in minutes’ on the x-axis
GCSE Physics required practical activity: Thermal insulation
Student sheet – Name: ____________________________________
Required practical activity
Investigate the effectiveness of different materials as
thermal insulators and the factors that may affect the
thermal insulation properties of a material.
Apparatus and techniques
AT 1, AT 5
Investigating factors that may affect the thermal insulation properties of a
material
You will measure the rate of cooling of a can of hot water. The beaker is insulated with
different thicknesses of the same materials.
You will plot cooling curves to determine how the amount of insulation affects the rate of
cooling of the water.
Risk assessment
Take great care when pouring the near-boiling water from the kettle. If you splash any on
yourself, immediately wash the affected area with cold water.
Equipment
You are provided with the following:
•
thermometer
•
kettle to heat water
•
cardboard lid for cans
•
stop clock
•
selection of insulated cans with different thicknesses of insulation