Conan - G6 Science - A Hot Take on Cooling Systems (States of Matter)

What is a cooling system?

A machine that moves heat from a cold place to a warm place.

What is a "closed system"?

A system where the stuff inside stays inside the pipes.

What is a refrigerant?

A special chemical used to move heat around.

What is the particle model?

The idea that everything is made of tiny bits (particles) that move.

What is a "change of state"?

When matter changes, like a liquid turning into a gas.

What is another name for a "change of state"?

A phase change.

What is evaporation?

When a liquid turns into a gas.

What do particles need to turn from liquid to gas?

They must soak up (absorb) a lot of energy.

What is "latent heat"?

The extra energy particles take in to break apart and become a gas.

Where does the energy come from during evaporation?

It is pulled from the surroundings (the area nearby).

What happens to the area when heat is pulled away?

It cools down.

Can you give an example of evaporation cooling?

When you sweat, the water turns to gas and cools your skin.

What is condensation?

When a gas turns back into a liquid.

What happens to energy during condensation?

Particles lose energy and slow down.

Where does the heat go during condensation?

It is released back into the room.

Why do particles bond together in condensation?

Because they lose energy and get closer together.

What are "coils"?

The pipes that the refrigerant flows through.

Where is the Evaporator?

Inside the fridge.

What happens to the refrigerant in the Evaporator?

It turns from a liquid into a gas.

What does the refrigerant take from your food?

It absorbs (soaks up) the heat.

What is the Compressor?

The part that squishes the gas.

What happens when you squish (compress) the gas?

It gets very hot and the pressure goes up.

Where is the Condenser?

Outside the fridge, usually on the back.

What happens to the refrigerant in the Condenser?

It turns from a gas back into a liquid.

Why does the back of a fridge feel warm?

Because it is releasing heat into the room.

How do fridges help in hospitals?

They store vaccines and medicines safely.

Why do vaccines need fridges?

Because they are "temperature-sensitive" (heat can ruin them).

How does cooling help global health?

It saves millions of lives by keeping medicine safe.

How does cooling help with food?

It stops fresh food from rotting (spoilage).

What is "spoilage"?

When food goes bad and we have to throw it away.

What were the old refrigerant chemicals called?

CFCs.

Why were CFCs bad for the Earth?

They damaged the ozone layer.

What are the newer refrigerant chemicals called?

HFCs.

Why are HFCs a problem?

They are powerful greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

When do HFCs become dangerous?

When they leak out into the air (atmosphere).

What powers a fridge?

A lot of electricity.

What does "energy-intensive" mean?

It uses a lot of power or energy to work.

Why is using lots of electricity an environmental problem?

It can cause carbon emissions.

What is a better way to get electricity for fridges?

From renewable energy (like the sun or wind).

What is an "economic" factor?

Anything to do with money and cost.

What is an "environmental" factor?

Anything to do with nature and the planet.

What is a "social" factor?

Anything to do with people’s health and lives.

Why do we use a "reference list"?

To show which books or websites we used for our work.

What is "alphabetical order"?

Sorting a list by the first letter (A, B, C…).

What does "absorb" mean?

To soak up, like a towel soaks up water.

What is "global warming"?

The Earth getting too hot because of greenhouse gases.