An Insulated Cola Bottle
Recommended for grades 6–12.
Introduction
Insulation slows the flow of heat. Glass, plastics such as Styrofoam, wool, fiber glass, aluminum foil, air, and a vacuum are some of the many “materials” used for heat insulation. Homes and insulated devices, such as vacuum bottles and coolers, often use a combination of insulating materials. In this experiment, you will first study the heat insulation properties of some materials. Then you will compete with your classmates in an attempt to build the best insulated cola bottle.
Objectives
In this experiment, you will
- Investigate the insulating properties of aluminum foil, paper (cardboard), and plastic (Styrofoam).
- Use a computer to measure temperatures.
- Determine change in temperature, Δt.
- Make a bar graph of the Δt values.
- Compare the effectiveness of different insulation materials.
- Build a well-insulated cola bottle.
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 Physical 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.