Air can be quite an effective heat insulator as it does not let heat pass through it easily. A thermos flask, polystyrene cup, or double glazed windows are all good examples of a layer of air acting as a form of insulation against heat loss. Insulating an object can then prevent heat from either moving into an object as well as preventing heat moving out of an object. Test some ordinary household materials in the following science experiment to test which works best as an insulator against heat loss.
Materials:
4x GLASS JARS
RUBBER BANDS
HOT WATER
WOOL SOCK
ALUMINIUM FOIL
NEWSPAPER
BUBBLE WRAP
THERMOMETER
Procedure:
1. Pour some hot water into four equally sized glass jars to exactly the same level about ¾ full.
2. Place the jars in a row on a table or even work surface and cover each of the jars with one of the following household materials: Wool sock, aluminium foil, newspaper and bubble wrap. Secure each of the materials over the mouths of the jars with rubber bands.
3. Leave the jars for about 5 minutes and then remove the covers. Use a thermometer to measure the temperatures of each of the jar's contents and record your results. Place the covers back after taking the readings.
4. Repeat step 4 every five minutes for about 25 minutes or until the water becomes to cool to have any significant effect on the experiment results. Record your results in a chart.
5. The jug with the warmest water had the best insulator as a cover!
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