Join Engee in his lab to learn more about energy and
energy efficiency. Please ask an adult for permission before you begin. We
suggest you work with an adult in case you need help.
Insulation and the great escape
From
the moment you turn on your furnace or air conditioner, hot or cold air
tries to escape to the outdoors. Heat escaping to the outdoors is very
inefficient. Your furnace works hard to heat the home and warm air just
slips out through the roof or the walls. What a waste of energy!
Insulation
to the rescue! Insulation is a material which slows down the movement of
heat. Your home and school are insulated. It’s usually in the attic and
behind the wall. It helps keep the heat in during winter.
What you need
down jacket
gloves/mittens
cotton sock
wool sock
other types of cloth
or clothing
plastic foam
dirt
paper
aluminum foil
leaves
baby food jars with
lids -- one for each of the different materials you'll be checking.
large board to place
all your items on -- a large tray will work too!
gallon jug of warm
water (as warm as shower water)
thermometer
note book and pencil
How to do it
On
a page in the notebook, list all of the different items you'll be testing
Quickly fill all the baby jars with hot water from the jug.
Measure the temperature of the water in each jar with the thermometer,
then screw on the lid. Record the temperature of each jar in your
notebook. They should all be the same temperature.
Wrap or surround each of the jars in one of the materials. Place the jars
on the tray or board. Leave one jar uncovered as a control.
Place the board or tray in the fridge.
After leaving the jars in the fridge for 5-10 minutes, remove the
materials, unscrew the lids and measure the temperature of the water in
each jar. Write down the temperature in your notebook next to each item.
Compare the differences between the temperatures of each of the jars.
Which one(s) kept the water the same temperature as before?
Try
the experiment again, but this time, leave the jars in the fridge longer
(one, two, three hours or more). What materials work better? Is there a
point where none of the materials works to keep the jars hot?
Engee says you'll
learn how insulation works. Some materials make better insulators than
others. This experiment can tell you what materials will keep our bodies
warm in the winter. For example, would a jacket made of down be better than
a jacket made from cotton? Will wool socks keep your feet warmer than cotton
socks in the winter? Should you switch in the summer because one type of
material will help you stay cooler?
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