Milli's Insulation Investigation
Source Institutions
-
American Chemical Society
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In this activity on page 2 of the PDF, learners test different materials to find out which is the best insulator. Learners use aluminum foil, newspaper, plastic wrap, and wax paper to insulate ice cubes and compare the melting rate of each ice cube. Use this activity to introduce learners to heat transfer (conduction) and insulation materials. Safety notes: Adult supervision required. Do not eat or drink any of the materials in this activity. Follow Milli's safety tips, which are listed on the left hand side of page 2.
- Under 5 minutes
- 1 to 2 hours
- $1 - $5 per student
- Ages 6 - 14
- Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per student)
- Blunt-ended scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil or pen
- Aluminum foil
- Newspaper
- Plastic wrap
- Wax paper
- 5 identical ice cubes
- Rubber bands
- Paper towels
- Baking tray
- Watch or timer
- Wire rack (optional)
Subjects
- Engineering and Technology
- Engineering
- Architectural Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
- Technology
- Construction
- Engineering
- Physical Sciences
- Heat and Thermodynamics
- Heat and Temperature
- Heat Transfer
- States of Matter
- Solids
- Liquids
- Changes of Phase
- Structure and Properties of Matter
- Atomic Structure
- Volume and Density
- Heat and Thermodynamics
- The Nature of Science
- The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
- Gathering Data
- Formulating Explanations
- Communicating Results
- The Scientific Process
Informal Categories
- Food and Cooking
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- read
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Uses STEM to solve real-world problems
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
- Office of Community Activities, American Chemical Society
Rights:
- All Rights Reserved, American Chemical Society, ©2006
