Adam Zainea
4H- Eco
Lab
Microclimate Lab
I.
Purpose- to determine and record temperature variations due to a small change in elevation
and proximity to the outside wall of a room.
II.
Hypothesis- The temperature change from the floor to the ceiling will be significantly
different because hot air rises and cool air doesn’t. The temperature from the south side of
the room will differ from the north side of the room because the north side of the room has
cold windows on the wall.
III.
Materials1. Thermometers
2. Meter sticks
3. Pencil and Paper
IV.
Procedure (see separate sheet)
Control: N/A
Independent Variable: Elevation, Position
Dependent Variable: Temperature
Control Group: N/A
Experimental Groups: Floor, One Meter, Two Meter, Ceiling.
Precision: Thermometer, 0.5°C Precise
Precautions: Don’t fall off a ladder.
V.
Observations-
Average Temperatures for the North and South Wall
25
Temperature°C
20
15
South Wall (°C)
North Wall (°C)
10
5
0
Ceiling
Two Meter
Meter
Floor
Floor Level
South Wall (°C)
North Wall (°C)
Ceiling
23.3
22.83
Two Meter
23.5
22.25
Meter
22.25
19.25
Floor
21
19.83
VI.
Conclusion- the purpose of this lab was to determine if a small change in elevation or the
proximity of the outside wall of a room can effect temperature variations. Two important
terms were temperature and elevation. Temperature was important because it was the
main idea of the lab, because we were identifying which side of the room was warmer or
colder. Elevation was important because it signified the temperature from the lowest point
of the room to the highest point of the room.
The temperature change from the floor to the ceiling will be significantly different
because hot air rises and cool air doesn’t. The temperature from the south side of the room
will differ from the north side of the room because the north side of the room has cold
windows on the wall. Many steps were taken to complete this lab; first each student was
given a thermometer. Then grid coordinates were assigned to each student. Thermometers
were put on the floor under the toe-kick of cabinets two meters apart. One meter
thermometers need to be placed on countertops two meters apart, and the two meter
thermometers need to be placed on top of the cabinets two meters apart. The ceiling
thermometers will be taped on the ceiling grid two meters apart. Wait for several minutes
and then record the temperatures, students will then share the data with other students.
Students will average temperatures for each four levels of each wall. In this experiment
there was no control. The independent variable was the elevation and position. The
dependent variable of the experiment was the temperature. There was control group in this
experiment. The experimental groups were the floor, the one meter stick, two meter stick,
and the ceiling. The precision of the thermometer will be 0.5°C precise. The safety
precautions are not to fall off the ladder.
The hypothesis was accepted. This is because in the graph above the temperature from
the ceiling to floor was exactly how I predicted because the ceiling was warmer because hot
air rises and the floor was colder because cold air doesn’t rise. The north side of the wall
was colder than the south side of the room, my opinion was that the north side of the room
was going to be colder because there were windows that were cold on the north side, and
on the south side of the wall the room had no windows, therefore making it warmer than
the north. The ceiling on the north and south walls were warmer than the floor on the north
and south walls. On the north wall the ceiling temperature was 22.83°C and the south wall
ceiling temperature was 23.3°C. The floor temperature of the north wall was 19.83°C and
the south wall was 21°C. A pattern found in the lab was the temperature of the ceilings on
the north and south wall, as seen on the graph. And a pattern was found in the floor
temperatures of the north and south wall. I learned that the south side of the room tends to
be warmer because of its surroundings. The north wall is colder because of its surroundings.
Some things that could have thrown off the data were holding the thermometers with hot
skin, or not waiting for several minutes and throwing off the temperature of the
thermometers. Something that could improve the way this lab more reliable would be to be
in a room with the same surroundings and characteristics, such as having both the north and
south wall have the windows and looks.