A good insulator is able to keep warm things
warm, and cold things cold. With permission from an adult,
do an experiment to prove to yourself that some materials
make good insulators, and some materials make poor insulators.
SUPPLIES:
four plates
four ice cubes
a handful of sawdust or shredded newspaper
a piece of aluminum foil (enough to
wrap all the way around one of the ice cubes)
a styrofoam cup with a lid
EXPERIMENT:
Place all four plates on a table or countertop
where they can be left undisturbed for one or two hours.
On the first plate put one of the ice cubes by itself. On
the second plate place a small amount of sawdust or shredded
newspaper, then place the second ice cube on top of the
sawdust or newspaper. Wrap the third ice cube in a piece
of aluminum foil and place it on the third plate. Take the
last ice cube an put it in the styrofoam cup. Put the lid
on the cup and place the cup with the ice cube inside on
the fourth plate. On a piece of paper write down the time.
Check the ice cubes every five minutes until they are melted.
Don't handle the ice cubes any more than you have to.
RESULTS:
Write
down what you THINK will happen:
Write down what DID
happen:
Which ice cube melted
first?
Second?
Third?
Last?
Can you explain why?
What acted as insulation
for the ice cube on the first plate?
