Experimenting With Heat

In my experiment I used Styrofoam, a Ziploc bag (plastic), paper towel, and paper bag to test their effectiveness of insulating heat given off by hot water.   I hypothesized that the Styrofoam would be the best insulator because of how solid it was a material.  Hence, its molecules would be closer and based on my own experience with Styrofoam it does a good job of keeping hot food and liquids warm for a longer period of time than other materials. I chose the other materials because they were conveniently in my house and seem to have varying qualities, for the most part that I believed would give a range of temperatures.  The results of my experiment were as follows: water covered with Styrofoam was 45.6 degrees Celsius, water covered with Ziploc bag was 44 degrees Celsius, water covered with a paper tower was 41 degrees Celsius, and the water covered with a piece of paper bag was 44 degrees Celsius.  Overall, the Styrofoam was the best insulator out of the other materials, but the Ziploc bag and the paper bag maintained the same temperatures which was only 1.6 degree less than the Styrofoam.

I would make this experiment for engaging and fun by first presenting to them my data and having them make hypotheses as to which material matches with each temperature and why.  After they made their hypotheses then I would give them the materials and have them perform their own test to see which results are consistent with what I presented to them.  After which I would have my students choose two other materials like, cotton balls, wood, bubble wrap, foil, cardboard, or copper.  I would then relate the lesson to real-life ideas by either showing students objects, such as a pot, water, or pictures of objects similar to meteors falling from space or earth and having students brainstorm how each picture or object is related to heat transfer, as well as how they are related to our lives each day.  Students would then receives cards with different scenarios related to the picture or objects shown in class and students much match the appropriate card with the correct picture or object. This activity leads to discussion about how our very existence is related to how heat is transferred and natural insulators, as well as conductors that exist on earth. 

Pendulums

The experiment I chose was to test if a pendulum with a lighter washer would come to rest sooner than a pendulum with a heaver washer.  I found that the pendulum with the lighter washer did return to a rest position quicker than a pendulum with a heavier washer.  These results were consistent with my hypothesis, because I thought that the lighter washer would stop faster due to it being lighter in mass and therefore having less momentum when it was swinging.  What I thought went well with this experiment was that it made me think critically about pendulum and how such a devise is related to force and motion.  What did not work so well was truly getting the pendulum to go back to rest. In fact it returned to rest when I tested the pendulum with a shorter string list; I found the longer the string, the longer it took for the pendulum to stop moving.

My experience with scientific inquiry has shown that in order for it to go smoothly my classroom must be structured and some classes even need handouts to guide their thinking throughout the process.  I have also found out that everyone's results may be a bit different due to how they conduct the experiment, therefore, unless a students results are way off I mainly look for their results being consisten overall. We then talk about what variables may have resulted in them not getting specific results. The modifications I would make with this experiment is to not have the students hold the string, but to set up an apparatus that the pendulum could be tied to and swung on. 

I might set up this experiment as an extension piece to my lesson on inertia.  I would make this experiment more interesting and relevant to their lives by having students explore the website I found entitled http://www.calacademy.org/products/pendulum/index.html.  This website gives the history behind the pendulum and how it was used to show that the earth rotates. 

I mainly would want students to learn more about Newton's first law of inertia and that there is a way to see that the world rotates event though we do not notice.  I think this will be the desired effect and am interested to see how my students will engage in this activity or one like it.