Conductors and Insulators

1

A thermal energy __________ is a material that allows thermal energy to be transferred within a material or to other materials easily/quickly.
*Any material that does allow heat to flow through it easily

1

A thermal energy __________ is an object that creates a barrier between the hot and the cold object that reduces or slows down the transfer of thermal energy.
*Any material that does not allow heat to flow through it easily

8

Go through each item and identify as a conductor or insulator

Identify the direction of heat flow in each example by selecting the arrow that shows the heat flow.

1

 Hair __________ Warm Air

1

Bowl __________ Ice Cream

1

Ice __________ Water

1

Soup __________ Spoon

1

 Hand __________ Hot Sidewalk

Paper Towel

1

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in a paper towel after one hour of insulation
* (60.4 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

1

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a paper towel
* 60.4 - 40.0

1

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a paper towel
* Answer from #9 - 4.4

Wool Sock

1

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in a wool sock after one hour of insulation
* (59.6 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

1

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a wool sock
* 59.6 - 40.0

1

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a wool sock
* Answer from #12 - 4.4

Cotton Sock

1

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in a cotton sock after one hour of insulation
* (63.4 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

1

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a cotton sock
* 63.4 - 40.0

1

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a cotton sock
* Answer from #15 - 4.4

Plastic Wrap

1

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in plastic wrap after one hour of insulation
* (62.1 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

1

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in plastic wrap
* 62.1 - 40.0

1

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in plastic wrap
* Answer from #18 - 4.4

Aluminum Foil

1

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in aluminum foil after one hour of insulation
* (61.4 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

1

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in aluminum foil
* 61.4 - 40.0

1

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in aluminum foil
* Answer from #21 - 4.4

2

A __________ insulator will have a large change in temperature
A __________ insulator will have a small change in temperature

From the best insulator to the worst insulator

6

1st Best __________

6

2nd Best __________

6

3rd Best __________

6

4th Best __________

6

5th Best __________

6

6th Best __________

1

What is a heat insulator

1

Some people say that heat transfer always occurs from “where it is to where it isn’t.” What does this really mean?

4

Some things slow down the rate of heat transfer.
*List 4 insulators
1) _______ 
2) _______ 
3) _______ 
4) _______ 

1

Which is better at slowing down the rate of heat transfer

a wool sock or a cotton sock

2

Explain your reasoning for your answer above.
I believe the _______ sock is better at slowing down the rate of heat transfer because _______ 

2

Next time you bring a cold drink or an ice cream sandwich to school for lunch, what can you wrap it in to keep it cold? _______ 

Why did you choose that material? _______ 

1

What did the wool sock slow down?

2

Did the wool sock trap “coldness”? _______ 

Explain your reasoning for the above answer. _______ 

3

Could there be any sources of error in measuring the can temperatures? _______ 

What are those possible errors (If yes, fill this out. If you answered no leave this blank) _______ 

How could we find out if there were any errors? _______ 

1

Why did we include a can with no wrapping in the data set?

2

Why do people wear wool in the winter _______ 
and cotton in the summer _______ 

1

Materials that can decrease the rate of energy transfer are called insulators.
What properties might the wool sock and paper towel have in common that make them good insulators?

3

Based on our results, which materials can be called insulators?
Click on 3

Control (Nothing)  Paper Towel  Wool Sock  Cotton Sock  Plastic Wrap  Aluminum Foil

1

Pick an animal that lives in a hot environment (like a desert) _______ 

How does that animal that keeps cool/from overheating _______ 

1

Pick an animal that lives in a cold environment (like the artic) _______ 

How does that animal that keeps warm/from freezing _______ 

Correct the misconceptions

*You can do this by rewriting the statement to make it true.
*The words typed in bold are the ones that are needed to be changed.

1

Incorrect Statement
The materials in the data set kept the soda can cold.

Corrected Statement
The materials in the data set _______ 

1

Incorrect Statement
Wool adds warmth.

Corrected Statement
Wool _______ warmth

1

Incorrect Statement
Wool material works best because I know people who use that method.

Corrected Statement
Wool material works best because _______ 

	Conductor	Insulator
Copper
Cotton T-Shirt
Gold
Iron
Plastic
Rubber
Styrofoam
Wood

Go through each item and identify as a conductor or insulator

Paper Towel

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in a paper towel after one hour of insulation* (60.4 - 32) x 0.556*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a paper towel* 60.4 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a paper towel* Answer from #9 - 4.4

Wool Sock

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in a wool sock after one hour of insulation* (59.6 - 32) x 0.556*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a wool sock* 59.6 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a wool sock* Answer from #12 - 4.4

Cotton Sock

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in a cotton sock after one hour of insulation* (63.4 - 32) x 0.556*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a cotton sock* 63.4 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a cotton sock* Answer from #15 - 4.4

Plastic Wrap

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in plastic wrap after one hour of insulation* (62.1 - 32) x 0.556*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in plastic wrap* 62.1 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in plastic wrap* Answer from #18 - 4.4

Aluminum Foil

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in aluminum foil after one hour of insulation* (61.4 - 32) x 0.556*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in aluminum foil* 61.4 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in aluminum foil* Answer from #21 - 4.4

From the best insulator to the worst insulator

What is a heat insulator

Some people say that heat transfer always occurs from “where it is to where it isn’t.” What does this really mean?

Which is better at slowing down the rate of heat transfer

What did the wool sock slow down?

Why did we include a can with no wrapping in the data set?

Materials that can decrease the rate of energy transfer are called insulators.What properties might the wool sock and paper towel have in common that make them good insulators?

Based on our results, which materials can be called insulators? Click on 3

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in a paper towel after one hour of insulation
* (60.4 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a paper towel
* 60.4 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a paper towel
* Answer from #9 - 4.4

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in a wool sock after one hour of insulation
* (59.6 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a wool sock
* 59.6 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a wool sock
* Answer from #12 - 4.4

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in a cotton sock after one hour of insulation
* (63.4 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a cotton sock
* 63.4 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in a cotton sock
* Answer from #15 - 4.4

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in plastic wrap after one hour of insulation
* (62.1 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in plastic wrap
* 62.1 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in plastic wrap
* Answer from #18 - 4.4

What is the temperature (in oC) of the soda wrapped in aluminum foil after one hour of insulation
* (61.4 - 32) x 0.556
*Round to the nearest tenth

Change in temperature in oF after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in aluminum foil
* 61.4 - 40.0

Change in temperature in oC after one hour of insulation of the soda wrapped in aluminum foil
* Answer from #21 - 4.4

Materials that can decrease the rate of energy transfer are called insulators.
What properties might the wool sock and paper towel have in common that make them good insulators?

Based on our results, which materials can be called insulators?
Click on 3