Shine a powerful flashlight on a variety of materials, and measure how quickly each material heats up. See how the light angle, light color, type of material, and material color affect heating. A glass cover can be added to simulate a greenhouse.
Click on the correct answer
Is it usually hotter outside
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If you want to stay cool on a hot, sunny day, should you wear
Gizmo Warm-up
In the Heat Absorption Gizmo, a powerful flashlight can shine on a variety of materials.
Make sure that the Light color is set to White.
Drag the Wood under the beam of light. What do you notice?
What is the color of the light that is reflected off the wooden block?
Click Play to start the clock
What happens to the temperature of the wood
The light that is not reflected away is absorbed by the wood. What does the absorbed light energy do to the wood?
Observe:
Drag the flashlight to several different angles. When is the light beam most concentrated on the piece of wood?
Form hypothesis:
Which angle will result in the coldest piece of wood? o
Predict:
Which angle will result in the hottest piece of wood? o
Experiment: For each angle listed below, record the final temperature of the wood after 3 hours of heating with the flashlight.
Final Temperature
20o angle.
Final Temperature
40o angle.
Final Temperature
60o angle.
Final Temperature
80o angle.
Final Temperature
90o angle.
Apply: St. Louis, Missouri, is located near the middle of the United States.
On June 21, the noon Sun rays hit St. Louis at an angle of 75°.
On December 21, the noon Sun rays hit at an angle of 28°.
How will this affect the temperature in St. Louis on these dates?
Observe:
Drag the red brick under the flashlight beam. Try three different Light colors: red, blue, and green.
Red
Blue
Green
What color(s) reflect off a red brick?
What colors of light are absorbed by the brick?
Collect data: Heat the red, green, and blue bricks under each color of light. Record results.
Have the light at a 75o angle
Red Brick Final Temperatures
Red Light
Blue Light
Green Light
Red brick
reflects light
and
absorbs
light
Green Brick Final Temperatures
Red Light
Blue Light
Green Light
Green brick
reflects light
and absorbs light
Extend your thinking:
White light is a combination of red, green, and blue light.
Why is it cooler to wear a white shirt on a sunny day than a black shirt?
Predict: In this activity, you will compare how metal, wood, water, and brick heat up.
Which substance do you think will heat up the most?
Which substance do you think will heat up the least?
Experiment:
Using white light, heat up each of the following substances for 3 hours
Set angle to 75o
No Glass
For the change in temperature take
Final Temperature - Initial Temperature
METAL
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (no glass cover):
Change in Temperatire
WOOD
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (no glass cover):
Change in Temperatire
WATER
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (no glass cover):
Change in Temperatire
BLACK BRICK
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (no glass cover):
Change in Temperatire
Experiment:
Using white light, heat up each of the following substances for 3 hours
Set angle to 75o
Click on Add glass cover
For the change in temperature take
Final Temperature - Initial Temperature
METAL
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (under glass):
Change in Temperatire
WOOD
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (under glass):
Change in temperature
WATER
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (under glass):
Change in Temperatire
BLACK BRICK
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (under glass):
Change in temperature
Extend your thinking: Why is it dangerous to leave an infant or pet in a car on a sunny day with the windows rolled up?
Answer the 5 questions below the gizmo. Take a screenshot of your score and paste it below.
Draw conclusions:
Why did increasing the angle of the beam of light cause the wood to heat up more?
Blue Brick Final Temperatures
Red Light
Blue Light
Green Light
Blue brick
reflects light
and absorbs
light
WHITE BRICK
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (no glass cover):
Change in Temperatire
Based on the results, which 2 substances do you think reflected the most light?
WHITE BRICK
Inital Temperature: 20.0 oC
Final temperature (under glass):
Change in temperature
The glass cover made each substance heat up