Sizing Up Temperature

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In this activity, learners explore Charles' Law in a syringe. Learners collect volume and temperature data for five different temperature samples, convert Celsius to Kelvin, and plot the data on a Cartesian graph to draw conclusions.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 2 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
1 cent - $1 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 14 - 18
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • plastic disposable syringe (5-10ml volumes work well)
  • beakers or glass cups
  • thermometer
  • water
  • calculator or microwave or heat block ice graph paper (optional) food coloring
  • ice
  • graph paper
  • pen/pencil
  • food coloring (optional)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Earth and Space Science
    • Earth Structure
      • Atmosphere
  • Mathematics
    • Algebra
      • Variables and Expressions
    • Data Analysis and Probability
      • Data Analysis
      • Data Collection
      • Data Representation
    • Measurement
      • Units of Measurement
      • Rate
    • Number and Operations
    • Representation
  • The Nature of Technology
    • The Design Process
      • Problem Solving
  • Physical Sciences
    • Heat and Thermodynamics
      • Heat and Temperature
    • States of Matter
      • Gases
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
      • Volume and Density
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data
      • Formulating Explanations
      • Communicating Results

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • see color
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Yu, Julie

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Exploratorium, 2007

Funding Sources:

  • National Science Foundation, 0610238
  • National Science Foundation, 0925383