BRAINBOX - HEAT LAB-02

Students learn:

Curriculum	Learning Activities
SCIENCE	Identify scientific principles required to solve challenge
TECHNOLOGY	Record and estimate timing data
ART	Blended multimedia elements
ENGINEERING	Design, build and test machine(s)
MATHEMATICS	Use comparative data find and define a time-line

Leslie's cube

Leslie's cube is a simple metal container (e.g. empty Milo tin) that with four differently painted sides/sections. If it is filled with hot water (at a safe temperature to avoid burns), you can use either your hands or a thermopile connected to a meter to try and decide which surfaces give out the most heat radiation.

Remember that as the water temperature the same throughout the container, all the sides of Leslie's cube are at the SAME TEMPERATURE but touch/measurement reveals that some surfaces give out more heat radiation than others.

Leslie's cube can provide evidence to help show that:

Heat radiation travels through solids
Black surfaces are relatively good emitters of heat radiation
Black surfaces are relatively good absorbers of heat radiation
Red surfaces are not as good radiators as black surfaces
Blue surfaces are not quite as good radiators as red surfaces.
Measurements around the interior of the container remain relatively constant
Temperature varies vertically - no matter what the external colour
Shiny surfaces are relatively good

Some example questions:

For most efficient interior heating and cooling of a car:

Does the colour of a car make any difference?
Does it make any difference if the car is shiny or not?
What is the best colour to have if you want a car to stay cool in summer sun?
What is the worst colour to have if you want a car to stay cool in summer sun?
What are the most environmentally friendly and cheapest ways to keep a car cool in summer.