Req Pratical 2: Thermal Insulators

• What is the procedure for comparing different thermal insulators?

  1. Place a small beaker inside a larger beaker.
  2. Boil water and transfer 80 cm³ to the small beaker.
  3. Cover with cardboard lid with a thermometer hole.
  4. Insert thermometer and record starting temperature.
  5. Measure temperature every 3 minutes for 15 minutes.
  6. Repeat with insulating materials like bubble wrap.
• What is the volume of hot water used in the experiment?

  80 cm³
• What is the purpose of the cardboard lid in the experiment?

  To cover the beaker and hold the thermometer
• How often should the temperature be recorded during the experiment?

  Every 3 minutes
• What is the independent variable in this experiment?

  The type of insulating material used
• What is the dependent variable in this experiment?

  The temperature of the water
• What are control variables in this experiment?

  Volume of water and mass of insulating material
• Why is it important to keep the starting temperature of the water the same?

  To ensure a fair comparison of insulation effectiveness
• How can cooling curves be plotted from the experiment results?

  • Record temperature over time for each insulator.
  • Plot temperature against time on a graph.
  • Compare curves to determine insulation effectiveness.
• What does a slower cooling rate indicate about an insulating material?

  It is a more effective thermal insulator
• What is the procedure for investigating the effect of material thickness on thermal insulation?

  1. Start with a beaker of 80 cm³ hot water.
  2. Measure temperature every 3 minutes for 50 minutes.
  3. Wrap two layers of newspaper around the beaker.
  4. Repeat with four and six layers of newspaper.
• What is the independent variable when testing the thickness of insulation?

  The number of layers of newspaper used
• What is the dependent variable when testing the thickness of insulation?

  The temperature of the water
• What happens to the cooling rate as the number of newspaper layers increases?

  The cooling rate decreases
• What are the control variables when testing the thickness of insulation?

  • Starting temperature of the water
  • Volume of water used
• What is the conclusion about the effectiveness of more layers of newspaper?

  More layers provide better thermal insulation