Required Practical : Thermal Insulators

• What is the main objective of the investigation described in the video?

  To investigate the effectiveness of thermal insulators.
• What are the steps to investigate the effectiveness of thermal insulators?

  • Place a small beaker inside a larger beaker
  • Boil water and transfer it to the small beaker
  • Use cardboard as a lid with a hole for a thermometer
  • Record the starting temperature and measure every 3 minutes for 15 minutes
  • Repeat with different insulating materials
• What is the independent variable in the thermal insulation experiment?

  The type of insulating material.
• What is the dependent variable in the thermal insulation experiment?

  The temperature of the water.
• What are control variables in the thermal insulation experiment?

  • Volume of water
  • Mass of insulating material
  • Starting temperature of the water
• How can results from the thermal insulation experiment be represented?

  By plotting cooling curves for the different insulators.
• How does the thickness of a material affect thermal insulation?

  • More layers of material slow down cooling
  • Increased thickness leads to better insulation
• What is the independent variable when investigating the effect of material thickness on thermal insulation?

  The number of layers of newspaper.
• What is the dependent variable when investigating the effect of material thickness on thermal insulation?

  The temperature of the water.
• What conclusion can be drawn from the results of the thickness experiment?

  • More layers of newspaper result in slower cooling
  • More layers provide better thermal insulation