Physics, energy changes and transfers: heating and thermal…
Physics, energy changes and transfers: heating and thermal equilibrium, energy moving from the hotter object to the cooler one by conduction or radiation, and the use of insulators.
The National curriculum in England: science programmes of study, Key Stages 1–3 outcome for Years 7–9 says: “Physics, energy changes and transfers: heating and thermal equilibrium, energy moving from the hotter object to the cooler one by conduction or radiation, and the use of insulators.” This Fieldbook unit teaches it hands-on, with everyday materials and a printable teacher guide and student sheet for every lesson.
Hot Stuff: Heat, Temperature and Cooling Grade 9
Does hotter always mean more heat? Why is sand too hot to stand on while the sea is cool? Why does a drink cool fastest at the start? How do you keep it hot? Four quantitative lessons with thermometers and a kitchen scale: Q = mcΔT, specific heat capacity, Newton's law of cooling and a drink-keeper design problem, with uncertainty throughout.
- Does hotter always mean more heat? 60–70 min
Teams mix hot, warm and cold water in lidded foam cups, predict each final temperature from the masses, and check the prediction with a thermometer. They find that a small amount of very hot water can warm less than a large amount of warm water, and settle the difference between temperature and thermal energy with Q = mcΔT.
- Why does a hot drink cool fastest at the start? 75–90 min, or two periods (the cups need 30 minutes to cool, so graph the first data while you wait)
Teams record cooling curves for three cups of warm water (open, lidded, and lidded in wool), graph temperature against time, and test Newton's law of cooling on their own data. They weigh the open cup to estimate how much of the energy loss was evaporation.
- How do you keep a drink hot for the longest? 90–100 min, or two periods (a 30-minute cooling run sits in the middle)
Teams test a black can against a shiny can under a lamp to see radiation at work, then design, build and test a drink keeper on a budget that fights conduction, convection and radiation. They compare designs by the energy each one loses and decide which differences are bigger than their uncertainty.
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