Melts in Your Bag, Not in Your Hand

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In this activity, learners use chocolate to explore how the Sun transfers heat to the Earth through radiation. Learners compare the melting rate between chocolate left in the sunshine and chocolate left in the shade outside for twenty minutes on a hot sunny day. Use this demonstration to introduce learners to solar radiation as well as the importance of summer safety and sun protection. Although this works best on a hot sunny day, this activity can be adapted for indoor use.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
1 cent - $1 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 6 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Demonstration, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Two (2) small pieces of chocolate
  • Two (2) small resealable snack bags
  • Marker to label bags

Keywords

Subjects

  • Earth and Space Science
    • Earth Processes
      • Weather and Climate
    • Solar System
      • The Sun
  • Life Sciences
    • Human Body
      • Muscles and Skin
      • Health and Nutrition
  • Physical Sciences
    • Heat and Thermodynamics
      • Heat and Temperature
      • Heat Transfer
    • Energy
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Formulating Explanations

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking
  • Nature and Environment
  • Outdoor Activity

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • be mobile
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, National Weather Service,