thermal insulators

Insulating a hot object reduces the rate of heat loss to the surroundings. In this practical lesson, you will insulate a container using an insulating material and record the temperature over time. You will then vary the number of insulation layers to determine the relationship between insulation thickness and energy transfer.

aim

investigate how insulation thickness effects the rate of heat transfer

independent variable

number of layers of insulating material

dependent variable

temperature change of water

control variables

amount of water in each beaker (using a measuring cylinder)

initial temperature of water in each beaker

equipment

• thermometer

• stop clock

• beaker

• kettle

• range of insulating materials

setup

wrap beaker with insulating material

add card on top to prevent heat loss

thermometer through card

steps

1. pour water into the beaker

2. wait for recording on thermometer to stop rising, start stopwatch

3. record initial temperature

4. leave to cool (5 minutes)

5. record the final temperature

6. calculate temperature change

7. repeat for different insulation layers