A Good Cold Pack
Recommended for grades 5–8.
Introduction
Cold packs are used to treat sprained ankles and similar injuries. A cold pack is typically made of a thin plastic inner bag containing water. That bag, in turn, is surrounded by a heavier plastic bag containing a solid substance. When the pack is twisted, the inner bag breaks and releases the water. As the solid substance dissolves in the water, energy is absorbed and the resulting mixture gets colder.
In this experiment, you will first determine temperature changes as several different solid substances dissolve in water. You will then develop and test a plan for making the best cold pack using 3.0 grams of one of the substances and the best amount of water.
Objectives
In this experiment, you will
- Use a Temperature Probe to measure temperature.
- Determine temperature changes as solid substances dissolve in water.
- Design and test a plan for making the best cold pack.
- Report your results.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Download Experiment Preview
The student-version preview includes:
- Step-by-step instructions for computer-based data collection
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.
Standards Correlations
See all standards correlations for Middle School Science with Vernier »
Included in the Lab Book
Vernier lab books include a CD with word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.